A £6 shirt is not a bargain if you dislike it after the first wash. Second-hand clothing stores in Plymouth reward shoppers who judge fit and condition before the label. These five confirmed charity-shop options provide a starting route across the city centre, Mutley and the Barbican. Their numbering is not a ranking, and donated stock changes too often to promise a particular size, brand or price on any visit.
1. Devon Air Ambulance, Armada Way
Devon Air Ambulance’s Armada shop is listed at 107 Armada Way. Its location makes it a practical first stop for a city-centre clothing search. Start with a short list of gaps in your wardrobe rather than looking for anything that seems inexpensive. If you need a work shirt, inspect the collar, cuffs and underarms before considering the label. A small flaw in a hidden area and visible wear around the face are different buying decisions.
2. British Red Cross, New George Street
The British Red Cross shop at 20 New George Street is listed with clothing and accessories. Include it when comparing everyday pieces rather than chasing a predetermined brand. Take a moment to check the fastening on the actual garment. Close every button, run the zip and inspect the fabric beside it. A missing button may be manageable, but damage to the surrounding cloth can turn an apparently small repair into a more involved job.
3. Oxfam, Mutley Plain
Oxfam’s shop at 44 Mutley Plain is listed as selling clothing as well as books. This is a separate shopping stop from the central streets, so allow for the journey rather than assuming every option sits on one compact route. Bring measurements from trousers or a jacket that already fits. A second-hand label may reflect a different brand’s cut or a garment that has been altered, making measurements more useful than its printed size alone.
4. St Luke’s, Barbican
St Luke’s Barbican shop is at 14 Southside Street. It is a useful option when you are already searching around the Barbican rather than the main city-centre shopping streets. Look at garments in ordinary light where possible, especially around the shoulders and folds. An interesting colour is less persuasive if fading prevents it working with your existing clothes. Ask before taking an item outside or away from the rail to inspect it more closely.
5. Cancer Research UK, Cornwall Street
Cancer Research UK is listed at 108 Cornwall Street among Plymouth’s charity shops. Add it to a central shopping circuit when you have time to assess individual pieces properly. For coats and jackets, check the lining as carefully as the outside. Put your arms into the sleeves and feel for tears or twisted lining. A coat that looks neat buttoned up still needs to be comfortable enough for the journey home and your normal layers.
Give second-hand clothing stores in Plymouth a budget
Shop as though you were choosing ingredients for meals you already cook. One useful piece that works with your wardrobe usually has a clearer purpose than several unrelated bargains. Make room for an unexpected find, but be honest about what it needs before you will wear it.
Say you have £25 for an example shopping trip and find a £7 skirt requiring a repair quoted at £12. That leaves £6 for anything else, before travel or cleaning. These are illustrative figures, not Plymouth prices. The skirt may still be worth buying, but compare its total cost rather than its ticket alone.
For separate wellbeing browsing, Quick Remedy notes is outside this clothing shortlist. It should not determine whether a donated garment is suitable for your wardrobe or how it should be cleaned.
Try the item with the movements you will actually make. Sit in trousers, fasten a jacket and reach for a bag. If you consult Core Physio notes for movement-related reading, keep that separate from the shop’s clothing advice; neither the purchase nor its size label is a treatment decision.
Check the care label before assuming every charity-shop find belongs in the same wash. Follow the garment’s instructions and assess whether you are willing to maintain it. Safe Cure notes is a health-reading bookmark, not a textile-cleaning guide or a substitute for those instructions.
A sensible decision rule is to accept repairs you understand and decline damage you cannot price. If you browse Fresh Vital notes alongside other lifestyle resources, keep a distinct shopping note for actual measurements, repair estimates and the clothes you already own. That makes an unexpected find easier to judge without buying a whole new outfit around it.
FAQs
### Can I return a second-hand item because it does not fit?
Ask the shop about its policy before paying and keep the receipt. Do not assume every charity uses the same approach.
Should I negotiate over every price?
No. Ask politely about a specific concern, such as an unnoticed fault, and accept the shop’s answer without pressuring staff or volunteers.
Is vintage a guarantee of quality?
No. Age and style do not establish fabric condition or construction. Inspect the actual piece just as you would a newer donation.
Set a route with a stopping point
Choose the central shops, Mutley or the Barbican for your first trip. Take measurements, set a total spending limit and leave behind anything whose repair or fit remains uncertain.
