The Best Thrift/Antique Stores in Houston to Find Furniture and Decor
Updated: Apr 19, 2021
I am asked pretty frequently by fellow Houston locals what my favorite thrift stores are so I wanted to dedicate a post to just that topic! If you've been around here for any amount of time you probably know three things about me 1) I love mixing high end and affordable DIYs, 2) I love Tik Tok, and 3) Thrifting/antiquing is what I consider a good time. In fact, tomorrow is my birthday and when Kris asked me what I wanted I told him nothing would make me happier than to spend the day thrifting... he actually agreed to go! So while I'm looking forward to a day of thrifting tomorrow, here's a comprehensive list of all of my favorite places to thrift and antique in Houston. Keep in mind- I haven't been everywhere, there are more places I would like to go and I may add to this list over time if I find more places to fall in love with!!
This mall used to be much larger, but in 2013 one entire side burned down (which is SO heartbreaking), but what is left is still absolutely incredible and this is my favorite place to shop. It's 15 minutes from my house and I'm so familiar with the store that I can easily pop in and see what's new. They even have a kid's toy section so if I happen to have my boys with me (never ideal) I can usually bribe them with good behavior by picking something out from the toy booth on our way out. I think for the most part the prices here are very good. My favorite recent finds here are this blue painting I snagged last minute for the kitchen makeover for $30...
and this quirky lamp for our bedroom that is huge and was only $20.
Thompson's is HUGE. This is not a drop in and shop for thirty minutes type of place- when I come here I try to make sure I have at least two hours (and if you shop like my mother then double that). The last time I was here I had just sprained my ankle the week prior, I wasn't even supposed to be walking, but I was determined and limped around the entire store. It was worth it though, that's when I found these two Robert Furber botanical prints we have hanging over our bed (I did just recently swap them out, but I have a feeling these will come back around).
The pair ran me $55, which isn't bad, but keep in mind Thompson's isn't super cheap. It's still better than the luxury antique stores inside the loop (that I don't really bother going to), but I very rarely find things I think are a bargain here. This was also the antique store where I found my first piece of blue Wedgewood (before I even knew what it was called) and started the entire love affair I have with it.
The first time I ever want to The Guild Shop I was fresh out of college working for Laura U, it was my first design job and we frequented lots of vintage shops in Montrose, but this is the one that stood out to me. You know how some antique stores are styled beautifully and curated perfectly? Those are just never the ones that have appealed to me... I much prefer the cluttered ones with shelves filled top to bottom, piles of art to sift through, and furniture shoved into every nook and cranny so you have to squeeze through the walkways. The kind of places where your eyes never stop wandering because there is just so much to see and you could go into the same store ten times and see something different each time. That pretty much sums up The Guild Shop- it's just magical in here. Their prices are pretty good and they have dated pricing so the longer something sits the cheaper it gets. This place is about 30 minutes away from me and I wish it was closer- I would love to be able to keep my eyes on pieces that weren't selling so I could snatch them up.
The last time I was there I snatched up several cute Easter items.
I actually went to Blue Bird for the first time just last month, it had been on my list of places to go for awhile, but their hours are super random and sporadic and I had never caught them when they were open. It absolutely did not disappoint, so many things to look at and it felt like there was so. much. furniture. Prices seemed super reasonable so I can't wait to go back!
I have yet to find any major treasures at the Charity Guild Shop, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time. They have a pretty big selection of furniture and home goods, but it's not overwhelming, I know I can whip in and out of here in about 15-30 minutes.
Do you have any favorite antique/thrift stores in Houston or Texas?! Maybe after a few more years of exploring I'll write up a post for all of Texas. I still remember Kris and I frequenting the antique stores in Nacogdoches where we went to college and I would absolutely love to go back and shop there someday! Plus, it was in Fairfield, Texas over the holidays that I found our breakfast table chairs that inspired me to tackle our kitchen makeover!
Let me know if you have any thrift stores you think I should check out and I'll be sure to add them to my list! And be sure to follow along on instastories if you want to come shopping with me tomorrow!
