The Story of JC Thrift Store: A Bittersweet Memory in Macon, GA

 

Down on New Street in Macon, JC Thrift Store once held a special place in the local community. With its humble storefront at 192 New St, it offered a mix of secondhand treasures that attracted thrift hunters and penny-pinchers alike. I remember popping in to browse mugs priced at just 50 cents—a little affordable thrill—but the rest of the inventory often felt either overpriced or uninspiring. One blogger even admitted, “I am disappointed…everything else to me is pure junk,” save for those cheap mugs.

Despite mixed reviews—hovering around a 3.3-star average from about 20 reviewers —JC Thrift had its loyal fans. Some described it as a “hidden gem” for odds and ends like sports jerseys , though others were annoyed by elevated prices on basic goods. From Reddit chatter in thrift communities, this pattern of modest quality but inflated tags isn’t unique to JC; it reflects a wider trend in smaller thrift shops.

Sadly, JC Thrift is no longer in business. But I still think fondly of those mug runs and the anticipation of finding something interesting amid the clutter. It may not have been a vintage collector’s paradise, but it was a local staple—a place we visited, judged, sometimes loved, sometimes rolled our eyes at, yet always remembered.