The Golden Goose Thrift Shop in Catalina likes to bill itself as, “a thrift shop like no other,” which, immediately sets itself up for comparison to every other such store in the known universe. Fortunately, all one needs to do is make one visit to be convinced those words ring true.
It’s not as large as a big box store, but it has almost as many departments. Today, we’ll take a look at two of them: Art and Sporting Goods.
One of the first things you’ll notice when you enter, is that art hangs everywhere. It’s all been donated, and varies in size, media and subject matter. You may find original paintings, limited edition prints, signed posters, even framed and dried botanicals. Frames range from simple to ornate, and while they might have once been expensive, they’ve been nicely discounted from their original value. And, thanks to the Goose’s team of art volunteer experts, each piece is inspected for defects before it hangs in the store.
Golf is huge in Arizona, especially in the winter months. At a recent walk through of the golf portion of the Sporting Goods section, I noticed over two dozen Ping, King Cobra and Tight Lies drivers and woods in a range of lofts for male and female golfers. If you’re like me, and send your drives into the depths where the cactus claims them, you can buy large bags of used balls for just a few dollars—bags and shoes too!
The best part is that you can feel good about shopping or donating at the Goose because 100 percent of the profits go to support two charities: Impact of Southern Arizona and SaddleBrooke Community Outreach. Since the Goose is mostly staffed by volunteers, that means $20 million cash so far.
So, take a walk with a Goose and see what you can find (stock changes almost daily!) or donate items you no longer need. There’s even a truck available to pick up large items. Find out why the Golden Goose really is a thrift shop like no other!
