I have shopped at Goodwills all over the mid-west, and I am shocked to see the variety of prices, items and their conditions from store to store. Some Goodwills are priced ridiculously high, while others are very reasonable. So far, the ones in the Denver-metro area seem to have good quality for decent prices (except the one in downtown Denver), although the prices have been going up over the past few years. I heard that once thrift shops got "found" during the recession, prices started going up. I am lucky to have many thrift shops near my home--Goodwill, ARC, Savers, DAV, and others. Maybe that competition and the fact they are in a large metro area keep the quality up and the prices decent. I continue to shop at thrift shops because I get a wider variety of goods than I find at retail stores, and I often find amazing quilting things for a great price (cutting mats, fabric, batting). Once I found three complete quilt kits, including the patterns and backing for $3.99 each. But that is not an everyday occurance--I have to hunt weekly to find such deals. I guess if you have the time and some good stores, it is worth it to scrounge for great deals. At least it is for me.