Publix's first supermarket is a thrift store now.
George Jenkins opened his first Publix in 1930 a few blocks away on Fourth Street NW. Ten years later he built the "food palace" on West Central Avenue, and that's the one with the racks of secondhand clothes in it today.
That's one of five shops below, and it isn't the only one with a story.
Four of the five are run by a nonprofit or a church, so what you spend funds their programs.
We left the national chains out of the ranking.
There's a note on them near the bottom.
We didn't just glance at star ratings.
We read every single Google review every shop on the list.
That's nearly 10,000 reviews.
The glowing ones and the angry ones, to find out what locals actually say once they get home with their bags.
Then we checked hours, dug into the story behind each shop, and cut anything that didn't earn a spot.
Here's what made it.
Best Overall: Care Center Thrift Store (Dundee)
The Best Thrift Stores In Polk County, Florida
Care Center Thrift Store — 29696 US-27, Dundee
If you only hit one thrift store in Polk, locals say you should probably make it this one.
276 reviews, 4.4 stars. The most of any shop on this list.
Clothes, furniture, mid-century pieces, home goods, art, plants, toys, and a big book section with CDs and DVDs.
It's right off US-27 in Dundee, with its own parking lot.
Reviewers keep coming back to the same things: it's huge, it's clean, and there's always something new on the floor.
A lot of them say they come every single week.
The one knock (mostly from longtime regulars) is that prices have crept up, especially on brand names.
The store belongs to the Lake Wales Care Center, which started back in 1985 when local churches got together to help neighbors who were struggling.
Forty years later, it runs a free clinic, adult literacy classes, a community kitchen, and transitional housing.
Your haul helps keep all of that going.
Quick Information:
- Location: 29696 US-27, Dundee
- Cost: Varies by item
- Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-3pm, Sun closed
- Phone: (863) 439-6000
- Type: Nonprofit thrift
- Amenities: Dedicated parking lot, clothing, furniture, books, home goods
Best Boutique Thrift: Top Buttons (Lakeland & Winter Haven)
The Best Thrift Stores In Polk County, Florida
Top Buttons — Downtown Lakeland & Winter Haven
Top Buttons doesn't feel like a thrift store, and that's the whole point.
It's donated women's clothing, shoes, handbags, and jewelry, all set up like a boutique.
Lakeland: 4.7 stars across 69 reviews.
Winter Haven: 4.9 across 31.
Reviewers can't stop talking about the name brands (think J.Crew, LOFT, and Lilly Pulitzer for a fraction of retail).
Plus the range of sizes, and how many people found a prom or wedding dress here.
It all started with a magazine at a Sam's Club checkout.
Back in 2012, Lakeland mom Sarah Powers watched her young daughter pick one up in line, and she didn't like what was on the cover.
So she started giving talks to local girls about confidence.
And they kept telling her the same thing: they couldn't afford clothes that fit.
So she started bringing clothes.
The first public store opened in downtown Lakeland in 2017.
Today, groups like PACE Center for Girls nominate young women ages 11 to 25 for a personal stylist, a free outfit, and mentoring.
Top Buttons says that's about 300 girls a year, and the racks pay for it.
This one could have easily been "Best Overall"; we just decided to crown it "Best Boutique" because it is specific to women's clothing.
Quick Information:
- Locations: 236 N Kentucky Ave, Lakeland | 226 W Central Ave, Winter Haven
- Cost: Varies by item
- Hours: Lakeland: Tue-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 9am-5pm. Winter Haven: Tue-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-4pm
- Phone: Lakeland (863) 248-8487 | Winter Haven (863) 229-5158
- Type: Nonprofit boutique thrift, women's clothing and accessories
Best Bargains: Thrift Store of Meals on Wheels (Winter Haven)
The Best Thrift Stores In Polk County, Florida
Meals On Wheels — 620 6th St NW, Winter Haven
If other thrift stores' prices make you wince, this might be your best bet.
Prices creeping up was the most common complaint in every review we read.
This store is the exception.
68 reviews, 4.7 stars, and the reviews back it up: these still feel like real thrift store prices.
Kitchenware, clothes, home decor, CDs and DVDs, toys.
It all turns over fast, so regulars come back every week.
Fair warning: it's not a big store.
It gets cramped (and warm) when it's busy, and the checkout line can stretch when only one register is open.
The meals program behind it gets zero government funding.
Meals on Wheels of Polk County is run largely by volunteers and delivers more than 100,000 hot meals a year to homebound neighbors in Winter Haven, Auburndale, Haines City, Davenport and nearby towns.
And despite the national name, it's a local Winter Haven nonprofit, not a chain. This is its one store.
The thrift store is one of the ways it pays for them.
Honestly, it's what a thrift store is supposed to be.
Quick Information:
- Location: 528 Avenue G NW, Winter Haven
- Cost: Varies by item
- Hours: Mon-Fri 10:30am-3:30pm, Sat 10am-3pm, Sun closed
- Phone: (863) 299-1616
- Type: Nonprofit thrift supporting Meals on Wheels of Polk County
Best For Families: Hidden Gem Consignment (Lakeland)
The Best Thrift Stores In Polk County, Florida
Hidden Gem Consignment — 3139 N Galloway Rd, Lakeland
This is the one to bring the kids to.
Hidden Gem is a consignment shop in north Lakeland with clothes for the whole family.
Babies to adults (men included), plus baby gear, toys, shoes, designer bags, and home decor.
193 reviews, 4.7 stars.
Regulars say it's clean, organized, and smells great.
And the staff is genuinely happy to see your kids.
Plenty of reviewers have shopped there every week for years.
(A few people who consigned items had complaints about their payouts, but shoppers almost all love it.)
The stuff that doesn't sell still does some good.
Owner Jessica Criswell has said items that don't sell within 60 days typically go to domestic violence survivors or foster families.
After Hurricane Milton, she handed out free clothes to survivors.
She'd lost all of hers in Hurricane Irma, so she knew what starting over felt like.
Quick Information:
- Location: 3139 N Galloway Rd, Lakeland
- Cost: Varies by item
- Hours: Mon and Wed-Fri 10am-5pm, Tue 10am-7pm, Sat 10am-4pm, Sun closed
- Phone: (863) 602-0200
- Type: Consignment boutique for the whole family
Best Building: Saint Matthew's Thrift Shop & Gift Shop (Winter Haven)
The Best Thrift Stores In Polk County, Florida
Saint Matthew's Thrift & Gift Shop — 197 W Central Ave, Winter Haven
Remember the Publix building from the start of the article? This is it.
George Jenkins opened his first Publix Super Market here in 1940.
Air conditioning, frozen food cases, and an electric-eye door (which was a big deal at the time).
Publix stayed until 1957.
Today it's the thrift and gift shop for Saint Matthew Catholic Church, and the money supports the parish's ministries.
Look down when you walk in. The original Publix tiles are still at the entrance.
Photos of the 1940 store hang across from the checkout, too.
It's bigger than it looks from Central Avenue.
There's a vintage room right inside the door, a religious gift shop up front, and rooms of clothes, home goods, books, and holiday decor.
The catch is price.
146 reviews, 4.1 stars, (technically the lowest of our top picks; but still awesome).
That said, nearly every complaint says the same thing: it's priced more like an antique store than a thrift store.
But no other thrift store in Polk lets you shop inside a piece of Publix history.
Quick Information:
- Location: 197 W Central Ave, Winter Haven
- Cost: Varies by item
- Hours: Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, closed Sun and Mon
- Phone: (863) 299-0300
- Type: Church-run thrift and gift shop
Best Weekend Treasure Hunt: St. John's Thrift Store (Winter Haven)
The Best Thrift Stores In Polk County, Florida
St. John's Thrift Store — 130 Desoto Rd, Winter Haven
St. John's is open eight hours a week, and it still gets busy.
Friday and Saturday, 9am to 1pm. That's it.
95 reviews, 4.5 stars.
Reviews call it clean, organized, and fairly priced.
Clothes, furniture, dishes, holiday decor, books, toys, and more set out front.
The advice reviewers give most: get there early (especially Friday), because it gets crowded fast.
In 2023 alone, the shop says it raised $245,600 for missions.
Every dollar of profit goes to local and overseas causes.
That's helped fund a free medical clinic in Eloise run by volunteer doctors, a Winter Haven assistance program called Project Love, and clean water filters in Cuba.
The shop also won the grand prize in Publix's Giveback Giveaway.
Just don't show up at 1:05.
Quick Information:
- Location: 130 Desoto Rd, Winter Haven
- Cost: Varies by item
- Hours: Fri and Sat 9am-1pm, closed the rest of the week
- Phone: (863) 875-5703
- Type: Nonprofit thrift supporting mission outreach
Best Consignment: Katz Closet Consignment (Bartow)
The Best Thrift Stores In Polk County, Florida
Katz Closet — 660 W Main St, Bartow
If you want designer pieces without designer prices, go to Bartow.
Katz Closet is a consignment shop, not a donation thrift, so the owner picks what goes on the racks.
Dresses, jeans, blazers, designer bags, jewelry, and a cowgirl boot and hat collection reviewers love.
78 reviews, 4.9 stars. Tied for the highest rating on this list.
The reviews read like a fan club.
It feels like a boutique, the prices beat what people expected, it carries a wide range of sizes, and the staff makes you feel at home.
And then there are the cats.
The shop collects round-up donations at checkout for Bartow's feral cats.
Reviews say it's helped spay or neuter more than 40 of them.
It's worth the drive to Bartow, even if you're coming from the other side of the county.
Quick Information:
- Location: 660 W Main St, Bartow
- Cost: Varies by item
- Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm, Sun closed
- Phone: (863) 537-7657
- Type: Consignment boutique
The Honorable Mentions
Seven "winners" never tell the whole story in a county this big.
Here's the rest of the list...
Habitat for Humanity ReStore (Lakeland and Dundee) The place for furniture, appliances, and home project supplies. The Lakeland store at 1317 George Jenkins Blvd holds 3.9 stars across 273 reviews. The East Polk store in Dundee at 27985 US-27 holds 4.2 across 342. Some reviews at both locations mention staff attitude. One Lakeland reviewer says they got a couch they believe is worth $5,000 or more for under $500.
Bartow Community Thrift Store (Bartow) Run by the Bartow Community Service Center, a faith-based nonprofit at 495 E Summerlin St that has served Bartow for nearly 60 years, according to a local news report. The same report says it runs a food pantry, hands out food twice a month, and prepares sack lunches on weekdays. 4.3 stars across 151 reviews on its Church Service Center listing. Two reviewers mention free shower and laundry facilities on site. One says prices on donated items run high. Weekday hours only, and it closes at 1pm on Fridays.
Country Primitives Vintage Market (Winter Haven) A vendor-style antique and vintage market, not a donation thrift, with farmhouse decor, candles, jewelry and a consignment clothing section that reviewers praise for plus sizes. 4.7 stars across 238 reviews, in about 11,000 square feet. Open daily 10am-5pm at 251 Ave A SW.
Decades Reclaimed Vintage Depot (Lakeland) A warehouse of vendor booths packed with vintage from the 1950s through the '80s, at 502 W Brannen Rd. 4.6 stars across 220 reviews. Records, old tools, metal signs, furniture and collectible Barbies all turn up. FOX 13 has featured it twice. Most of the space is open-air with fans instead of AC, and parking is tight. Open Wednesday through Sunday, closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Treasure Marts (Bartow) A booth-style flea market and vintage mall at 1455 US-17. 4.4 stars across 243 reviews, open daily. One reviewer calls it their favorite thrift shop in all of Florida. Another says some booths are overpriced, so plan on hunting for deals.
REgenerations Resale Shop (Mulberry) 4.4 stars across 68 reviews at 2078 Shepherd Rd. Reviewers call it clean and organized, and one says the staff will check the back for specific items if you ask. Open Tue-Sat. One reviewer says they arrived before the listed closing time and found it closed, so call ahead. It's connected to Resurrection Catholic Church in Lakeland.
The WAY 2 Shoppe (Haines City) A downtown Haines City thrift shop at 20 N 6th St. 4.6 stars across 26 reviews, a small sample. Reviewers praise how clean it is. One says the shoes and clothes are priced too high for a local thrift. Open Tue-Sat.
Lake Wales Care Center Thrift Store (Lake Wales) The downtown sister store to our Best Overall pick, at 39 W Park Ave. 4.2 stars across 377 reviews, the most of any thrift store in the county. Longtime fans love the furniture and the deals, but reviews from the past couple of years lean negative, mostly about prices climbing and thinner clothing racks.
Lighthouse Ministries Thrift Stores (Lakeland and Winter Haven) The Lakeland store at 3111 US-98 S holds 4.0 stars across 263 reviews. The Winter Haven store at 3094 Havendale Blvd NW holds 3.9 across 189. One Lakeland reviewer says to watch for color-tag sales at 50 and 70 percent off. Several reviews at both locations say prices have gone up.
The National Chains (Goodwill and Salvation Army) We kept these out of the ranking. The Lakeland Goodwill Superstore at 5411 Florida Ave S holds 3.6 stars across 1,175 reviews, and several reviews mention higher prices. The Lakeland Salvation Army at 3915 Florida Ave S holds 4.1 across 533. One reviewer mentions a Wednesday half-off day, so confirm before planning around it.
Watch Your Days
Thrift shops run on volunteer schedules, so you just need to be aware of the irregular hours at each spot.
Short weeks: St. John's is open Friday and Saturday from 9am to 1pm and nothing else. Bring cash or a check.
Closed early in the week: Decades Reclaimed is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, but it's open Sundays from 10am to 3pm.
Closed Mondays: Top Buttons in Lakeland and Winter Haven, plus Saint Matthew's, are closed Sundays and Mondays.
Early Friday close: The Bartow Community Thrift Store shuts at 1pm on Fridays.
Sunday shoppers: The list gets thin. Country Primitives and Treasure Marts are open daily, and Decades Reclaimed is open Sunday afternoons.
Best plan: Two easy stacks. In Winter Haven on a Saturday morning, hit St. John's first (it closes at 1pm), then head downtown, where Top Buttons, Saint Matthew's, and Country Primitives sit within a block or two of each other. The Meals on Wheels thrift store is a short drive away if you still have room in the car. In Dundee, the Care Center Thrift Store and Habitat's ReStore are about two miles apart on US-27, and both are open Monday through Saturday.
THANKS!
We put real time into this list.
But you all know this county better than any algorithm does.
If there's a thrift store we missed, one that's gotten better (or worse) recently, or a hidden gem we should know about, reply and tell us.
We'll update this list and give credit where it's due.
Five of our seven winners are run by a nonprofit or a church, so a Saturday of thrifting also funds something.
Now you know where the locals go.
Get out there.
- Mike Romaine
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