To the editor:

I find it difficult to justify local second-hand stores’ ongoing price hikes. Lately, it seems that St. Vincent de Paul and Goodwill, to name a few, have learned that they can capitalize on the “trend” of thrift-shopping. People shop at second-hand stores to save money, period. If I can go to Walmart or Amazon and buy the same items brand new for half-a dollar more, why would I continue to support local thrift stores? The mounds of donations can be seen piling up in back rooms, and as a regular shopper at both stores I have seen some items sit for years. Lower the prices! We need stores like these to benefit our communities and our planet, but when I can’t afford to shop at St. Vincent de Paul anymore than I can at box-office stores- they aren’t helping anyone.