In the land of designer boutiques and high-end shopping malls, there exists a treasure trove where budget-conscious Californians can experience the thrill of the hunt without emptying their wallets.

Rachel Kiley is presumably a writer and definitely not a terminator. She can usually be found crying over queerbaiting in the Pitch Perfect franchise or on Twitter, if not both.

That’s the everyday reality at Crowded Closet Thrift Shop in Iowa City, where filling an entire shopping cart for less than the cost of a single new sweater isn’t just possible—it’s practically ...