Whether you're a conscious consumer or a bargain hunter, thrift and consignment shopping is a great way to pick up a unique, one-of-a-kind travel souvenir.
Check out our guide to secondhand shopping on the Sunshine Coast below, organized by community. Use the guide to plan a day (or two) of sightseeing and shopping during your next visit. Happy thrifting!
Powell River
Powell River is home to the most thrift stores on the Sunshine Coast. There are five stores (from thrift to consignment to pawnshop) all located within three blocks of each other along Marine Avenue, and another two stores located just a few blocks away on Alberni Street.
Blue Sky Consignment offers a well-curated selection of women's secondhand clothing, along with jewelry and accessories, while down the street Willow Rose Boutique—the newest consignment store to open in Powell River—stocks children's clothing in addition to women's wear and accessories. Madrona Boutique is a jam-packed thrift and consignment store with sections for clothing, craft supplies (including a well-stocked and labelled fabric area), toys, housewares, electronics, and more.
Towards the end of Marine Avenue, you'll find Powell River Pawnbrokers and Hidden Treasures Bookstore, which shelves rare, unique, and secondhand books. Nearby on Alberni Street, the Salvation Army Thrift Store, along with the Hospital Economy Shop, both feature clothing, household goods, accessories, shoes, books, and an assortment of other goodies and treasures.
South of town, you'll find the Powell River MCC Thrift Shop, another all-purpose thrift shop with housewares, clothing, furniture, and more. And if you're on Texada Island, head to the thrift store located in Gillies Bay for an assortment of unique items.
What To See & Do Nearby: On Marine Ave, swing by 32 Lakes Cafe & Bakery or Basecamp Coffee to fuel up with coffee for your day of shopping. Downtown Powell River is home to numerous restaurants and eateries where you can break for lunch (favourites include Costa Del Sol, Genki Japanese, and Coastal Cookery).
Sechelt
Cowrie Street is the main shopping area of Sechelt and here you'll find two thrift stores, two consignment shops, and a fabulous vintage home good store all within mere steps of one another.
Twisted Consignment has a well-stocked selection of women's new and consigned clothing, with an adjacent space next door for menswear. You'll also find a small assortment of jewelry and housewares. Next to Twisted is the Salvation Army Thrift Store, which in addition to stocking plenty of clothes, offers footwear, books and magazines, kitchenware, furniture, household items, collectables, electronics, and more. New items are added daily which means there's an ever-rotating selection to look through, and since all proceeds stay local and help community service programs, you can feel extra good about your purchase. Across the street, swing by the Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary Thrift Store, a local favourite, for similar items, including a large selection of books and collectibles. Tip: this shop can get busy so get there early if you can. You'll also find Pretty Natty Duds on Cowrie Street—a women's clothing consignment store.
Redecor + Design is a fantastic secondhand shop specializing in home decor, vintage furniture, and one-of-a-kind-art, all curated by the store's owner who also happens to be an interior designer. The shop's beachy vibes are warm and inviting and with items being constantly rotated through the store, you'll find a different and interesting selection each time you visit.
Looking for a unique piece of furniture or building materials? The Habitat for Humanity store, located on Sunshine Coast Highway across from Tsain-Ko Centre, is your best chance at finding that coveted mid-century piece or retro vintage couch on the Sunshine Coast. And if you've got a large-scale or DIY project in the works, head to the back of the shop where you'll find appliances and building materials like rugs, tiles, lamps, and more.
What To See & Do Nearby: Stop for happy hour at Batch 44 Brewery, stroll the waterfront path (with ice cream in-hand from e.b.'s Ice Cream stand), or pending weather, grab takeout for a picnic on the pebble beach (there are plenty of take-out food options available in downtown Sechelt including Nourish Eatery & Juice Bar and Run With Soup).
Pender Harbour & Egmont
The beloved Bargain Barn Thrift Store is a community staple and a must-visit when you're exploring Pender Harbour. Located in Madeira Park in a newly-renovated space, you'll find plenty of goodies and treasures to sift through including furniture, clothing, antiques, housewares, clothes, games, toys, and more. Bonus: this small-town thrift store is run entirely by local volunteers and, if you're lucky, you may just glean some local insight into things to see and do in the area while you're hunting for bargains.
Another great community-run thrift store is located in Egmont. On Wednesdays and Saturdays (year-round) in the downstairs of the historic community hall, you'll find this volunteer-led thrift store and plenty of treasures you didn't know you needed.
What To See & Do Nearby: Harbour Gallery is a charming and quaint space home to a co-op of local artists creating original art in various mediums. Euspiria Cafe is a great place to pick up a coffee and a treat pre-thrift shopping, while Iris Griffith Wetlands Park is a small park with a well-maintained boardwalk where you can stretch your legs post-shopping and look for birds and other wetland wildlife.
Gibsons
For a small-town, Gibsons is big on thrift and consignment stores, and here you'll find everything from a beloved secondhand book and record store to a popular retro vintage shop to three thrift shops.
If you're coming off the ferry, the Sunshine Coat Community Services Thrift store, located along the Sunshine Coast Highway (North Road) is the first store you'll see. Housed in a red barn-like structure, this all-purpose thrift spot is stuffed with clothes, craft supplies, housewares, and has a great selection of used records and books. If it's the latter you're after, you'll want to swing by nearby Reasons to Live Books, located along Gibsons Way, a cherished local bookstore which features used, rare, interesting, and new titles plus a great selection of vinyl records. They also sell their own merch if you're looking to pick up a one-of-a-kind tote bag or shirt.
Up the street, also on Gibsons Way, is the Salvation Army Thrift Store and a few blocks further is Beyond Consignment, a well-curated shop that focuses on women's fashion, outdoor clothing, and sport and gear. The Prancing Pony lies just off the main street on Venture Way, and is a bustling thrift store with all sorts of treasures and bargains available (and on occasion they'll sell local goodies like jams, honey, and fresh produce, too).
Over in Gibsons Landing, tucked away down Molly's Lane, you'll find Hidden Treasures Used Books along with Starlet Vintage, a popular vintage store featuring fabulous one-off retro pieces from nearly every era starting around the 1930s and up.
What To See & Do Nearby: Gibsons is also big on breweries and restaurants and you'll find no shortage of places to eat and drink. Head to Banditry Cider, an atmospheric orchard serving up delicious cider, conveniently located within a short drive of the shops mentioned above. In Gibsons Landing, Sushi Bar Nagomi features ultra-fresh sushi and a great patio overlooking Gower Road. Don't forget to swing by the Sunshine Coast Museum & Archives and pop into the many art galleries also found throughout town.
