Looking for the best op shops in the Wellington region? With this handpicked selection of 13 amazing second-hand shops, you’ve got a head start. These thrift stores are scattered across the city, each offering a nice set of pre-loved goods.
Furthermore, We sought op shops that are not only well-regarded within the local community but also prioritize sustainability, boast a wide array of quality items, and offer an enjoyable shopping experience.
These Wellington op shops are guaranteed to have something unique, regardless of whether you’re an experienced thrift shopper searching for undiscovered treasures or a novice beginning to discover the world of vintage bargains.
Without further ado, let’s begin…
Wellington’s Top 13 Op Shops
Here are the thirteen op shops we’ve determined to be the best ones for quality second hand items in Wellington:
- Vinnies Thrift Store – rated 4.6 out of 5
- Aunty Dana’s Op Shop – rated 4.8 out of 5
- Salvation Army Family Store – rated 4.3 out of 5
- City Mission Store – rated 4.4 out of 5
- Paper Bag Princess – rated 4.2 out of 5
- Mary Potter Hospice Shop – rated 4.0 out of 5
- Opportunity for Animals – rated 4.7 out of 5
- Hato Hone St John Retail Store – rated 4.5 out of 5
- Honour Secondhand Shop – rated 3.9 out of 5
- Red Cross Shop Petone – rated 4.1 out of 5
- Shop89 – rated 3.8 out of 5
- St John’s Op Shop – rated 3.7 out of 5
- Orthy Op Shop – rated 3.5 out of 5
1. Vinnies Thrift Store
| Best Known For | Secondhand Furniture, Household Items, Crockery, Clothing, Books, Footwear |
| Website | https://www.facebook.com/vinnieswgtn/ |
| Telephone | +6444790225 |
| info@vinnieswgtn.org.nz | |
| Address | 18 Ganges Road, Khandallah, Wellington 6035, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
- Tuesday
- 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
- Wednesday
- 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
- Thursday
- 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
- Friday
- 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
- Saturday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Sunday
- Closed
Reviews
“Super nice people and I was fortunate to get some cute items that I needed at home. The things are properly arranged and priced clearly. They may provide special discounts on specific days and events. It’s modest in comparison to other Vinnies, but it’s comfortable. I’m glad to be back.”
“Friendly service, great prices, and always new supply. The Vinnies op shop is highly clean and fresh, and I certainly suggest it. I genuinely like the reward card system.”
2. Aunty Dana’s Op Shop
| Best Known For | Smart and Casual Clothing, Designer Fashion, Street Fashion, Top Quality Shoes, Accessories |
| Website | https://auntydanas.com/ |
| Telephone | +6443850611 |
| auntydanas@genderminorities.com | |
| Address | 130 Riddiford Street, Newtown, Wellington 6021, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Tuesday
- 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Wednesday
- 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Thursday
- 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Friday
- 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Saturday
- 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Sunday
- 12:00 am – 4:00 pm
Reviews
“Superb Wellington op shop with nice, helpful people and a large selection of sizes and clothing. They exchange binders and have help upstairs as well. A fantastic community hub I’d say.”
“This is my favourite little secondhand shop in Wellington. Every week, I come here and unearth a gem of some kind. The staff is wonderful and I always have a great time here. I frequently bring my dog, who enjoys the attention.”
Related articles:
- 4 Best Op Shops in Lower Hutt
- 4 Best Op Shops in Whakatane
- 8 Best Second-Hand Shops in Whangarei
- 13 Best Thrift Stores in Auckland
3. Salvation Army Family Store
| Best Known For | Budgeting Advice, Food and Clothing Assistance, Life Skills Programmes, Secondhand Furniture, Household Living, Clothing, Books |
| Website | https://www.facebook.com/kaiwharawharafamilystore/ |
| Telephone | +6444774869 |
| johnsonville.corps@salvationarmy.org.nz | |
| Address | 125/137 Johnsonville Road, Johnsonville, Wellington 6037, 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
“It’s a nice family thrift store in Wellington. You can have nice surprises now and then. It is a good place to spend time while waiting for kids to finish after-school programs.”
“Op shop is well-run and well-stocked. Appropriate customer parking is available. In general, fair prices of items. One of the best thrift stores in the neighbourhood.”
4. City Mission Store
| Best Known For | Linen, Curtains, Clothing, Bric-a-brac, Tools, Indoor and Outdoor Furniture, Books |
| Website | https://wellingtoncitymission.org.nz/ |
| Telephone | +64800245542 |
| store@wgtncitymission.org.nz | |
| Address | 62 Cambridge Terrace, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, 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
- 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Sunday
- Closed
Reviews
“Lovely and energetic staff, cost-effective stuff, and a terrific op shop with great products. They also sent our bed base to our flat, which was very thoughtful of them. I plan on returning to buy more from this store.”
“A good op shop with reasonable prices. It appears that more donations are needed because the shop lacked stock, particularly clothing, but check it out because they had some great items and friendly staff.”
5. Paper Bag Princess
| Best Known For | Clothing and Accessories, Gifts, Household Items, Furniture, Books, Kids Toys |
| Website | https://www.facebook.com/paperbagprincessakl/ |
| Telephone | +6443813737 |
| pbpakl@gmail.com | |
| Address | 209 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Tuesday
- 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Wednesday
- 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Thursday
- 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Friday
- 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Saturday
- 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Sunday
- 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Reviews
“The location is comfortable and roomy. It features a large selection of dresses and high-quality merchandise. They label and organise everything well. Way cheaper than other secondhand stores.”
“Such a budget-friendly secondhand store with truly unusual items!! I like the variety of clothing available here.”
6. Mary Potter Hospice Shop
| Best Known For | Quality Pre-loved Clothing, Accessories, Homeware, Furniture, Appliances |
| Website | https://marypotter.org.nz/shops/ |
| Telephone | +6444725819 |
| mph@marypotter.org.nz | |
| Address | 95 Thorndon Quay, Pipitea, Wellington 6011, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Tuesday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Wednesday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Thursday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Friday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Saturday
- 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
- Sunday
- Closed
Reviews
“I enjoy the enormous area in the rear full of homewares; they bring new stuff in all the time, and I’ve found a lot of useful housekeeping items here. The books are more than simply ordinary paperbacks. I don’t usually purchase clothes here, but they offer good quality and inexpensive costs.”
“Probably one of the best op shops in Wellington, I found a nice quality dresser here after a very disappointing look for a cheap dresser. The staff are super friendly, and the prices are reasonable considering the state of inflation nowadays.”
7. Opportunity for Animals
| Best Known For | Secondhand Clothing and Household Goods |
| Website | http://www.theblacksheep.org.nz/opportunity-for-animals.html |
| Telephone | +6443893891 |
| blacksheepotaki@gmail.com | |
| Address | 162 Riddiford Street, Newtown, Wellington 6021, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
- Tuesday
- 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
- Wednesday
- 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
- Thursday
- 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Friday
- 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
- Saturday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Sunday
- 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Reviews
“My favourite op shop is Opportunity for Animals. Friendly personnel, a large assortment of clothing, books, and other items, all at reasonable pricing. I have to restrain myself from returning too frequently because I’m a bit obsessed. I love that the earnings benefit animals as well.”
“Well-organized, op shop prices, and a wide selection of designer badges, books, garments, and other op shop items. Surprisingly little electronics… yet this is understandable since donated gadgets must be inspected for safety… which can be costly.”
8. Hato Hone St John Retail Store
| Best Known For | Furniture, Clothing, Footwear, Accessories, Curtains, Books, Toys, Kitchenware, Homeware |
| Website | https://www.stjohn.org.nz/shop/retail-stores/petone/ |
| Telephone | +64273573114 |
| Penny.Blackman@stjohn.org.nz | |
| Address | 205 Jackson Street, Petone, Wellington 5045, 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
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Sunday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Reviews
“I had a fantastic day visiting this thrift store! It’s large and well-stocked, with a wide range of high-quality merchandise. The pricing is fair, and the people are pplite and helpful. A terrific shopping experience and atmosphere.”
“When I got there, they had a large selection of cute small liquor glasses, and I discovered exactly what I was searching for.”
9. Honour Secondhand Shop
| Best Known For | Smart and Casual Clothing, Designer Fashion, Street Fashion, Top Quality Shoes, Accessories |
| Website | https://honour.co.nz/shop/ |
| Telephone | +6443851560 |
| sue@honour.co.nz | |
| Address | 152 Vivian Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Tuesday
- 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Wednesday
- 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Thursday
- 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Friday
- 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Saturday
- 10:00 am – 5:30 pm
- Sunday
- 11:00 am – 4:30 pm
Reviews
“The young lady that works here always has impeccable presentation. The store layout is open and emphasises some of the more attractive outfits. Quality is not always guaranteed when purchasing second-hand, but it is here. I enjoy shopping for my mother and grandparents here.”
“Excellent assortment of high-quality used clothing, as well as extremely pleasant and helpful people. When it comes to shopping for clothes in Wellington, Honour is always my first option.”
10. Red Cross Shop Petone
| Best Known For | Furniture, Clothing, Footwear, Accessories, Curtains, Books, Toys, Kitchenware, Homeware, Manchester, Eyewear. |
| Website | https://www.redcross.org.nz/about-us/contact-us/map-of-new-zealand-red-cross-locations/ |
| Telephone | +6445892640 |
| shop.petone@redcross.org.nz | |
| Address | 169 Jackson Street, Petone, Lower Hutt 5012, 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
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Sunday
- 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Reviews
“Small but well-organized store. A small quantity of children’s toys, etc. On the day we arrived, the clothing was mostly casual, with no vintage or labels.”
“Excellent service provided by pleasant and helpful staff. An impressive range of products, ranging from apparel to home necessities. The costs are modest, making it an ideal destination for bargain hunters. Red Cross Shop Petone is definitely worth a visit because of its welcoming environment and amazing inventory. For its great shopping experience, it is highly recommended.”
11. Shop89
| Best Known For | Used Furniture, Household Items, Crockery, Clothing, Books, Footwear |
| Website | https://www.peninsulaparish.nz/ |
| Telephone | +6443889042 |
| office@peninsulaparish.nz | |
| Address | 89 Miramar Avenue, Miramar, Wellington 6022, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Wednesday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Thursday
- 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Friday
- 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Saturday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Sunday
- Closed
Reviews
“I like this op-shop because there is always a warm smile. The products are of high quality and inexpensive. Furthermore, always keep the area around clean and tidy.”
“It’s a great spot to visit, and the people are hospitable and friendly. A lot of fantastic goods, very cool.”
12. St John’s Op Shop
| Best Known For | Used Furniture, Household Appliances, Clothing, Books |
| Website | https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsTrustOpShop/ |
| Telephone | +6444764968 |
| Address | 7 Beauchamp Street, Karori, Wellington 6012, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Wednesday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Thursday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Friday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Saturday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Sunday
- Closed
13. Orthy Op Shop
| Best Known For | Used Furniture, Household Living, Clothing, Books |
| Website | https://www.facebook.com/orthyopshop/ |
| Telephone | +642102796607 |
| zvonkolokolov@yandex.ru | |
| Address | 62a Darlington Road, Miramar, Wellington 6022, New Zealand |
Hours
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- Closed
- Wednesday
- Closed
- Thursday
- Closed
- Friday
- Closed
- Saturday
- 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Sunday
- 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Reviews
“Lots of pretty good quality, reasonably priced items, particularly clothing. The space is well-organized and simple to navigate. There isn’t much furniture. Unfortunately, the unique hours make it more difficult to get out here, but it is well worth it if you can.”
10 Benefits of Shopping at Op Shops
Shopping at Wellington’s Op Shops is a conscious decision to support sustainability and community issues while also discovering surprising bargains. Some of the benefits of shopping at Wellington Op Shops include:
- Wellington’s Op Shops offers a wide range of items, from clothing to homeware, books, accessories, and unique vintage pieces.
- Shopping at Op Shops in Wellington allows you to find stylish and functional items without breaking the bank.
- Op Shops promotes recycling and upcycling, contributing positively to the environment by giving items a second life.
- Wellington’s Op Shops often house rare and unique pieces waiting to be found.
- Shopping at these shops contributes to local causes and charities. The money spent often goes toward supporting various community programs and initiatives, making a positive impact locally.
- Wellington thrift stores are perfect for those seeking to express their individuality through fashion while being conscious of their environmental footprint.
- Explore DIY and upcycling projects with affordable items from Op Shops. Wellington’s creative community often finds inspiration and materials in these stores for various artistic endeavors.
- Op Shops in Wellington creates a space for like-minded individuals to connect and share their love for thrift shopping.
- Shopping at second-hand shops in the city actively participates in the circular economy model by reusing and recycling goods, reducing waste in the community.
- By opting for opportunity shops, individuals contribute to reducing the demand for fast fashion, promoting a more ethical and sustainable approach to clothing consumption.
FAQ on Wellington Thrift Stores
Vinnies Khandallah, Aunty Dana’s Op Shop, Salvation Army Family Store, City Mission Store, Paper Bag Princess, Mary Potter Hospice Shop, Opportunity for Animals, Hato Hone St John Retail Store, Honour, Red Cross Shop Petone, Shop89, St John’s Op Shop, and Orthy Op Shop are some of the best second-hand shops in Wellington near you.
Of course! Wellington’s op shops frequently stock a wide variety of retro or vintage goods. You’re sure to find unique items in these establishments because of the city’s lively culture and diversified community.
Well, what we’ve seen is that unsold items at Op Shops undergo various routes for repurposing. Some are discounted for sale, redistributed to other stores within the organization, donated to other charities, recycled or upcycled to reduce waste, sold in bulk or auctions, and as a last resort, disposed of responsibly.
Supporting Wellington’s Op Shops without donating or spending involves contributing your time through volunteering, spreading awareness via social media or word of mouth, offering skills or services like marketing or event planning, organizing fundraisers or events, providing resources or connections, advocating for their causes, offering space or support for initiatives, and providing feedback or suggestions to help improve their operations and community impact.
The frequency with which Op Shops restock might vary greatly. It is mostly determined by donation rates, which vary according to community involvement, seasonal trends, and the location of the business. Most Op Shops in Wellington get donations on a regular basis, allowing them a steady flow of new things. However, the particular timing for refilling inventory may not adhere to a set timetable and may vary from store to store.
Thrift stores in Wellington, much like Op Shops, are generally open to everyone without specific criteria or restrictions. They welcome all shoppers regardless of income, background, or any other factors.
Conclusion
So there you’ve Wellington’s top thirteen op shops all in one place. We chose these thrift stores because they are dedicated to improving the environment and the community rather than just making sales. In fact, they are part of a movement that values reusing and reducing waste.
Remember, what’s on offer can change daily, so there’s always something new to discover. Go ahead and check these places out; every purchase you make at the second-hand shop will help to support sustainability and contribute to Wellington’s rich cultural scene.
Savour the experience of going thrift shopping!
