Good as New Whether it's the love of a good bargain, the shaky economy or the growing desire to reduce, reuse and recycle, shoppers are flocking to resale shops.

Everything from thrift shops (resale shops run by nonprofit organizations) to consignment stores (they sell items for patrons, earning a percentage of each sale) make up this multibillion-dollar industry, which is growing by 5 percent each year, according to the National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops.

Today's successful resale stores aren't your grandmother's thrift shop--they're welcoming retail locations. "The stores are brightly lit, beautifully displayed and well-organized," says Adele Meyer, executive director of NARTS. "We have experienced a change in attitude. People are proud to be shopping resale. They are savvy shoppers who love to save."