Thrift stores in Nanaimo

Nanaimo, BC has 16 thrift and charity shops on the map right now. 3 of them are charity shops and 13 are independent second-hand stores, so Nanaimo gives you both flavours of thrifting in one trip. Stock turns over fast in all of them, so the shop that had nothing last month might have your thing this week.

This guide covers every thrift store we could verify in and around Nanaimo (within about 40 km), built from OpenStreetMap's community-maintained data. Names you'll run into include Value Village and Habitat for Humanity, plus Angel Estate Sales — each with its own personality, which is half the fun. If a shop's missing from Nanaimo's list, it probably just hasn't been mapped yet — the scene is bigger than any single dataset.

The Nanaimo thrift lineup

16 mapped within about 40 km:

Value Village

Second-hand store

Value Village — an independent second-hand store. Also worth knowing about Value Village: the map lists its hours as Su-We 09:00-21:00; Th-Sa 09:00-22:00.

Nanaimo

Hours: Su-We 09:00-21:00; Th-Sa 09:00-22:00

Habitat for Humanity

Charity shop

Habitat for Humanity is a charity shop.

Angel Estate Sales

Second-hand store

Angel Estate Sales is an independent second-hand store. Angel Estate Sales also notes on the map: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.

Phone: +1-888-534-9377

Red's Emporium

Second-hand store

Red's Emporium is an independent second-hand store on 26 High Street.

26 High Street

Purple Pidgeon Treasures

Second-hand store

Purple Pidgeon Treasures — an independent second-hand store.

The Salvation Army

Charity shop

The Salvation Army is a charity shop.

Salvation Army Thrift Store

Second-hand store

Salvation Army Thrift Store is an independent second-hand store on 5698 Cowrie Street, Sechelt. Salvation Army Thrift Store also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Tu-Sa 09:30-17:00; Mo 09:30-17:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.

5698 Cowrie Street, Sechelt, V0N 3A3

Hours: Tu-Sa 09:30-17:00; Mo 09:30-17:00

Phone: +1-604-885-7603

the GABE shop

Second-hand store

the GABE shop — an independent second-hand store.

Nanaimo Hospital Thrift Store

Second-hand store

Nanaimo Hospital Thrift Store — an independent second-hand store.

Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary Thrift Store

Second-hand store

Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary Thrift Store — an independent second-hand store, found on 5693 Cowrie Street in Sechelt. Also worth knowing about Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary Thrift Store: the map lists its hours as Tu-Sa 10:00-15:00.

5693 Cowrie Street, Sechelt, V0N 3A0

Hours: Tu-Sa 10:00-15:00

Twisted Women's Consignment

Second-hand store

Twisted Women's Consignment — an independent second-hand store. Also worth knowing about Twisted Women's Consignment: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 10:00-17:00.

Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-17:00

Vancouver Island Thrift Store

Second-hand store

Vancouver Island Thrift Store — an independent second-hand store. Also worth knowing about Vancouver Island Thrift Store: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.

Phone: +1 250 585-5001

Chemainus Thrift Shop Health Care

Second-hand store

Chemainus Thrift Shop Health Care — an independent second-hand store on 9867 Maple Street.

9867 Maple Street

The Nostalgia Nook

Second-hand store

The Nostalgia Nook is an independent second-hand store on 499 Seventh Street. The Nostalgia Nook also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Tu-Sa 10:00-18:00; PH off; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.

499 Seventh Street

Hours: Tu-Sa 10:00-18:00; PH off

Phone: +1 778 441-3364

Website

Ladysmith Health Auxiliary Thrift Store

Charity shop

Ladysmith Health Auxiliary Thrift Store is a charity shop on 910 First Avenue. Ladysmith Health Auxiliary Thrift Store also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Fr 10:00-16:00; Sa 09:00-14:00.

910 First Avenue

Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-16:00; Sa 09:00-14:00

GIRO

Second-hand storeRun by Gabriola Island Recycling Organization

GIRO is an independent second-hand store run by Gabriola Island Recycling Organization on 700 Tin Can Alley, Gabriola. GIRO also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as We,Sa 09:30-16:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.

700 Tin Can Alley, Gabriola, V0R 1X3

Hours: We,Sa 09:30-16:00

Phone: +1 250-247-9257

Website

What the map tells us about thrifting in Nanaimo

7 of the 16 shops list their opening hours, which is unusually helpful for Nanaimo — thrift stores are notorious for surprise closures. Still, call ahead if you're making a special trip to Nanaimo; volunteer-run shops sometimes close early on quiet days.

2 shops have websites listed, worth a look before you go — some post new arrivals or sale days online.

The Nanaimo thrift circuit

Plot these 16 on a map and the day plans itself: Value Village, Habitat for Humanity, Angel Estate Sales, Red's Emporium on 26 High Street, Purple Pidgeon Treasures, The Salvation Army, Salvation Army Thrift Store on 5698 Cowrie Street, and the GABE shop. That's the full Nanaimo circuit in one sensible order. 8 more are listed below.

Thrifting tips for Nanaimo

Thrifting in Nanaimo goes better with a little prep:

Inspect electronics in the store at Value Village. Plug it in before you pay. Most thrift shops sell electronics as-is, and a cheap record player can be an expensive paperweight.
Check the art and frames at Habitat for Humanity. Original art, good frames, and the occasional genuine print turn up constantly. Frames alone are worth the habit.
Learn the colour-tag system. Many charity shops tag items with coloured stickers and discount one colour each week. Ask at the till; it's rarely advertised.
Check the furniture first. Solid wood furniture is the thrift store's greatest bargain — it was built to last and priced to move. Measure your space before you go.

Good to know

We searched about 40 km around Nanaimo — that covers the town itself plus the surrounding communities you'd reasonably drive to for a thrifting run. Listings come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by local volunteers, so a brand-new shop in Nanaimo can take a while to appear. Spotted a closure among the 16, or a shop we missed entirely? The map is the source of truth here — one OpenStreetMap edit corrects it for everyone.

Prices at Nanaimo's thrift stores are set by each shop and change constantly, so we don't list them. As a rough rule, charity shops are the cheapest, independents sit in the middle, and anything labelled vintage costs more everywhere — Nanaimo included.

Thrift store listings for Nanaimo: 16 mapped from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Photos from Wikimedia Commons contributors; individual photo credits appear in captions. Listing data was last refreshed automatically — verify hours before visiting.