Looking for the best second-hand treasures in New Plymouth? We’ve scoured the city to bring you a curated list of seven exceptional op shops that stand out for their unique finds and community impact.
We considered factors such as the store’s reputation within the community, the quality and variety of its inventory, its commitment to sustainability and community initiatives, the overall shopping experience it offers, and its contribution to local charitable causes.
These parameters allowed us to handpick 7 op shops that stand out for their excellence, diversity, and dedication to providing the best secondhand finds in New Plymouth.
New Plymouth’s Top 7 Op Shops
Here are the seven op shops we’ve determined to be the best ones for quality second-hand items in New Plymouth:
- SPCA Op Shop New Plymouth – rated 4.0 out of 5
- Red Cross Shop – rated 4.2 out of 5
- Hato Hone St John Retail Store – rated 4.4 out of 5
- St Mary’s Cathedral Op Shop – rated 4.0 out of 5
- Vinnies – rated 3.9 out of 5
- HospiceShop Westown – rated 4.1 out of 5
- Salvation Army Family Store – rated 4.3 out of 5
1. SPCA Op Shop New Plymouth
| Best Known For | Women, Men and Kids Clothing, Linen, Toys, Furniture, Pet Supplies, Jewellery, Homeware, Kitchenware |
| Website | https://www.spca.nz/services/new-plymouth-devon-street-op-shop |
| Telephone | +6467588716 |
| info@spca.nz | |
| Address | 251 Devon Street West, New Plymouth Central, New Plymouth 4310, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
- Tuesday
- 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
- Wednesday
- 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
- Thursday
- 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
- Friday
- 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
- Saturday
- 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
- Sunday
- 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Reviews
“Wonderful Opportunity Shop. I go most Sundays since there is always something new and exciting. On Sunday, the ladies are wonderful and incredibly nice. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something to do on a Sunday.”
“I love op shops. The lady at the counter was very nice and I got some lovely tops for a good price :)”
2. Red Cross Shop
| Best Known For | Clothing, Accessories, Footwear, Furniture, Books, Toys, Kitchenware, Homeware, Manchester, New Eyewear |
| Website | https://www.redcross.org.nz/about-us/contact-us/map-of-new-zealand-red-cross-locations/ |
| Telephone | +6467572610 |
| shop.newplymouth@redcross.org.nz | |
| Address | 18 Gover Street, New Plymouth Central, New Plymouth 4310, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Tuesday
- 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Wednesday
- 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Thursday
- 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Friday
- 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Saturday
- 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Sunday
- Closed
Reviews
“I believe it would have been a better shop given its central location. The shop is attractive and well-equipped for bargain shopping. Lovely females serving. Very handy.”
“A fantastic little op shop with decent prices. They’re also pretty tidy and well organized :)”
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3. Hato Hone St John Retail Store
| Best Known For | Secondhand Clothes, Furniture, Toys, Books |
| Website | https://www.stjohn.org.nz/shop/retail-stores/new-plymouth/ |
| Telephone | +6467588857 |
| NewPlymouth.Opshop@stjohn.org.nz | |
| Address | 292 Devon Street East, New Plymouth Central, New Plymouth 4312, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Tuesday
- 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Wednesday
- 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Thursday
- 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Friday
- 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Saturday
- 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
- Sunday
- Closed
Reviews
“Lovely little charity shop. Plus, the items and clothing are priced well. Also, it’s very tidy inside!”
“The best op shop in New Plymouth I’ve travelled from the Northland to Taranaki! The best rates and the friendliest employees, not to mention a large selection. They have everything from clothes to household necessities to books.”
4. St Marys Cathedral Op Shop
| Best Known For | Thrift Shopping |
| Address | 40 Vivian Street, New Plymouth Central, New Plymouth 4310, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Tuesday
- 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Wednesday
- 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Thursday
- 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Friday
- 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Saturday
- Closed
- Sunday
- Closed
Reviews
“Wonderful small op shop! Beautifully remodelled, fun, new, and inviting. Great bargains, simple to wander around, awesome little play area for the kids, and the employees are very friendly! It’s definitely worth a look!”
5. Vinnies
| Best Known For | Used Furniture, Household Appliances, Clothing, Books |
| Website | https://www.svdp.org.nz/ |
| Telephone | +6467586740 |
| national@svdp.org.nz | |
| Address | 573 Devon Street East, Fitzroy, New Plymouth 4312, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
- Tuesday
- 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
- Wednesday
- 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
- Thursday
- 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
- Friday
- 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
- Saturday
- Closed
- Sunday
- Closed
Reviews
“Hard to find. Small store.”
6. HospiceShop Westown
| Best Known For | Women, Men and Kids Clothing, Jewellery, Homeware, Kitchenware, Toys, Furniture, Pet Items |
| Website | https://www.hospicetaranaki.org.nz/ |
| Telephone | +6467538640 |
| info@hospicetaranaki.org.nz | |
| Address | 116 Tukapa Street, Westown, New Plymouth 4310, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Tuesday
- 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Wednesday
- 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Thursday
- 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Friday
- 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Saturday
- 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
- Sunday
- Closed
Reviews
“Until recently, I was fortunate to live and work so close to this op shop in New Plymouth. I’ve been known to take a long lunch break to shop when they’re open – the pricing is very cheap and I’ve gotten some great deals.”
“Excellent second-hand store. Everything my wife brought was inexpensive, ranging from $2 to $3. I paid $18 for some handcrafted leather shoes. There are numerous options – clothes, furnishings, toys, books, and CDs.
7. Salvation Army Family Store
| Best Known For | Budgeting Advice, Food and Clothing Assistance, Life Skills Programmes |
| Website | http://www.salvationarmy.org.nz/ |
| Telephone | +6467589339 |
| public.relations@salvationarmy.org.nz | |
| Address | 139 Gill Street, New Plymouth Central, New Plymouth 4310, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Tuesday
- 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Wednesday
- 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Thursday
- 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Friday
- 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Saturday
- 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Sunday
- Closed
Reviews
“People with good intentions and kind hearts. Pricing is reasonable. Volunteering is enjoyable. I love how everything flows in through the door and then out through donations to people in their own unique ways.”
“This thrift store has a good assortment of things. We were going back to Auckland when we happened upon this op shop. I have a couple of good pairs of shorts. The counter staff was also quite friendly.”
Challenges Faced by Op Shops in New Plymouth
Op shops, like many other charitable organizations and retail entities, face several challenges in New Plymouth, New Zealand. Some of these challenges include:
- Managing Inventory and Stock Turnover – It might be difficult to strike a balance between keeping the inventory current and appealing to New Plymouth customers while also making sure that things don’t sit around for too long.
- Adapting to Changing Consumer Preferences – For their establishments to continue drawing in consumers, op shops in New Plymouth need to keep up with the latest styles in fashion and consumer preferences. This is because stagnating sales might result from a failure to adjust to changing tastes.
- Community Engagement and Awareness – Another difficulty may be sustaining community interest, involvement, and knowledge of the shop’s goals and influence, particularly in a market where there are many competing interests and diversions.
- Regulatory Compliance and Standards – For op shops in New Plymouth, maintaining compliance with regulations—particularly those pertaining to safety, cleanliness, and product quality—can be challenging and time-consuming.
- Space and Infrastructure Limitations – Op shops may find it difficult to grow and satisfy consumer expectations if they are unable to expand or diversify their offerings due to infrastructural and space constraints.
FAQ on New Plymouth Thrift Stores
SPCA Op Shop, Red Cross Shop, Hato Hone St John Retail Store, St Mary’s Cathedral Op Shop, Vinnies, HospiceShop Westown, and Salvation Army Family Store are some of the best second-hand shops in New Plymouth near you.
Like in many other places, op shops in New Plymouth are frequently involved in supporting a range of community programmes and initiatives, such as educational efforts for poor populations. Charitable groups connected to Op Shops may conduct initiatives to empower underprivileged people or communities through workshops, scholarships, or resources in addition to promoting education.
Finding eco-friendly products at Op Shops in New Plymouth would depend on the specific inventory of each shop. However, many Op Shops across various locations do often have eco-friendly or sustainable products available. These might include reusable bags, eco-conscious homewares, upcycled items, and sometimes even clothing made from sustainable materials.
Indeed, a large number of New Plymouth Opportunity Shops are actively engaged in raising awareness of diverse societal issues. Although selling donated things is their main source of income, they frequently use their platforms to promote and support causes that are in line with their objective. These campaigns may focus on bringing attention to issues including mental health, homelessness, poverty, the environment, education, healthcare, and more.
Conclusion
As we come to the end of our article on New Plymouth’s op shops, it’s clear that these thrift stores are more than just warehouses of old things; they’re bustling hubs of community, sustainability, and hidden caches of histories.
The seven places we’ve highlighted demonstrate the breadth and depth of offerings available in the world of thrift shopping, each with its distinct charm and appeal. So, you’re not just going on a shopping spree; you’re also supporting local charities and unearthing artefacts with histories and memories.
