story and photo from the boston herald. the photo is of a dress at the garment district. that's a pretty awesome dress, imo.
And Goodwill to all... As post-Christmas donations pour in, thrift shops lure savvy shoppers
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Forget the pre-Christmas crush ’n’ rush - this post-New Year’s period is ripe with deals for the uber-thrifty.
Those privy to shopping bargains wait until after the holidays to hit local consignment shops, Goodwill centers and other thrift stores, bypassing malls and department stores to spend that leftover Christmas cash.
And it’s all because this time of year many folks are clearing out their closets, making New Year’s resolutions and beating the Dec. 31 deadline to get a tax deduction through donation.
“Aside from moving day in September, this is the No. 1 time of year for donations,” said Elizabeth Donovan, manager of Garment District in Cambridge. “They’re just pouring in.”
At places such as Garment District, Jamaica Plain’s Boomerangs and Urban Renewals of Allston, the outpouring of donations means secondhand deals get passed down to those who search for them.
“It would make sense,” said 33-year-old Somerville resident Angela Coraccio, who despite not being “as fanatical about it” as she used to be, has been an avid thrift shopper for years. “People get all kinds of new stuff for the holidays, and then it’s out with the old stuff.”
Diego Sanchez, public relations director for the AIDS Action Committee, the group that founded Boomerangs in 1996, said the JP shop and its nearby donation center at the Sam Adams Brewery have been “booming” with donations.
Boomerangs manager Jasmine Crafts said any donor giving to the store is supporting the AAC and thus eligible for a tax break come April 15. Many donations come in the form of excess clothing people don’t need anymore or, as she put it, “that Christmas gift that didn’t quite work out.”
And then there’s the more obvious reason.
“This is the time of year we make things called New Year’s resolutions, and people attempt to create order in their life,” Sanchez said. With that comes a slew of fresh starts, from the closet to the kitchen.
“There’s this sense of, ‘It’s New Year’s, I have to get rid of stuff,’ ” added Donovan. “Plus people are thinking, ‘I gotta look good this time of year.’ ”
That adds up to shopper’s bliss, if you know when and where to look.
Allston thrift shop aficionado Jussi Gamache said seasonal planning is the key to finding bargain-basement deals.
“In my experience, the cycle is related to what students are doing,” said Gamache. “Summer is better since they’re mostly gone, August is the best since the ones that are here are getting rid of stuff before they move and October is terrible because they’re all looking for costumes.”
its that good. 
