Our Favorite Minnesota Thrift/Occasional/Antique Stores

It’s no secret we love thrifting here at The Nest. Thrift stores, garage sales, consignment shops, occasional sales, antique stores – you name it, we love it. Which is why today we are rounding up some of our favorite “secret spots” to visit if you’re looking for great second-hand goodies.

• The Hairy Mosquito//Milaca, MN. Last year, Brett and I were on our way home from Warroad and decided to go in on a whim. We fell in love almost immediately. Inside, they have old school candy, an ice cream shop and three rooms full of antiques and other very random things. Outside, they have a barn full of furniture and another barn full of reclaimed wood. There is also a back pasture with even more reclaimed wood. Go here. Now. It’s amazing. They are only open Thursday – Sunday, but it is so worth the trip.
• Northbound Antiques//Pease, MN. On your way up to The Hairy Mosquito, stop at this place. The building is very deceiving – looks small from the outside, but once you walk in, it seems to go on forever. Everywhere you turn, it is packed floor to ceiling with stuff. Just a warning, you will need to dig to find the diamond in the rough, but that’s the fun of thrifting, right? I found this wonderfully old three-panel door with two glass window panes for only $35!
• Past Perfect//Ham Lake, MN. This is an occasional sale with furniture and home décor. They are open the second-to-last weekend of the month. Most of their items have been repurposed, so this is a great spot if you’re looking for the farmhouse décor at a reasonable price, without the work of finishing it yourself. They also have a small selection of Minnesota clothing and jewelry.
• Al’s Antique Mall//Red Wing, MN. Similar to Northbound Antiques, this place is packed to the brim with stuff. In general, their prices seemed to be a little more expensive than Northbound, but I did find a few fun glass jars that were reasonable. It made the list because there is just so much here and you never know what you will come across.
• The Other Thrift Store//Saint Francis, MN. This thrift store has a huge selection of furniture. As someone who loves to refurnish furniture, I know how challenging it can be find places with a good second-hand selection. I usually go here at least once a month and they always have a variety of tables, end tables, chairs, night stands, etc. It’s where I found the bar stools that I turned into patio side tables. They also have a location in Coon Rapids, but I have not been there – the owner did tell me that they don’t have as much furniture.
• Goodwill & Savers//Everywhere. This wouldn’t be a thrift store list without the old standbys. The Goodwill (or g-dub as we called it in college) and Savers (now apparently Unique?) could not not be on the list. If I ever have time to kill or just need to get in a little shopping, I know one of these places isn’t too far away. Just this week I found an entire dish set for $20 and a solid oak night stand for $16. You can’t beat the prices or the selection. Plus, the money goes to great causes. It’s a win-win.

Now it’s your turn – what’s your go-to spot? We’d love to try out some new places and see what hidden gems you’ve found. Don’t worry, your secret is safe with us 🙂

All our best,