WATERVILLE -- Peggy Sherwood is delighted with the Christmas find she got at the Salvation Army thrift store on College Avenue.

A brand-new, full set of golf clubs, complete with golf bag -- for a mere $119.

"I looked at those and my eyes lit up because they're extremely expensive if you go anywhere else," Sherwood, 36, said at the store Thursday.

Sherwood, a full-time student and single mother of three, said she had priced the golf set at other stores and they start at $400. She plans to give it to her boyfriend for Christmas.

"I was looking for golf clubs but I didn't expect to find them here," she said. "That was really, really a good find."

Sherwood is part of a growing trend of shoppers turning to thrift stores for everyday needs such as clothing and dishes -- and now Christmas gifts and decorations.

A student at University of Maine at Augusta studying criminal law, Sherwood says she shops frequently at the Salvation Army store, which is close to her home. She plans to buy more Christmas presents there, she said.

Store Manager Ami Cinq-Mars hears all sorts of stories from shoppers about how they find nice used items, clean them up, wrap them and place them under the tree. And Christmas decorations and craft items are so popular that, when she tries to display them to spruce up the store, people ask to buy them.

"It's actually been a learning experience here to see people from all the walks of life, from those with only a couple of pennies to spend to people that have more money but they're watching their budget because of oil, gas and food prices," Cinq-Mars said. "If you can have a good pair of jeans for $4.99, then you can spend that extra money on food. I don't just see it's poor people that come in."

USA Today reported this week that the miserable economy is a boon for pawnshops and consignment stores all over the United States, and managers of those stores say they are seeing a lot of first-time customers feeling the pinch and seeking bargains and reduced prices.

That certainly seems to be the case locally, where thrift stores are very busy.

The Goodwill store, which moved recently from Silver Street to The Concourse, is booming, according to Michelle Smith, communications coordinator for Goodwill Industries of Northern New England.

"It's doing very well," she said. "Opening weekend was the biggest opening weekend we've had for a new store in recent history."

Many thrift stores offer lots of new items, including Christmas decorations, gifts, crafts and clothing. That also draws customers, according to Smith.

"I think it just follows the general trend of more people coming to our stores in general, and so it makes sense that they're going to explore options at Goodwill for holiday gifts, as well," she said.

The Skills Inc. thrift store on College Avenue is seeing an increase in shoppers buying items for themselves and their families -- and for Christmas gifts -- according to Joanne Grignon, who manages not only that store, but also the Skowhegan and Farmington stores.

"We're seeing profits up in all stores for the last three months and October, November and December are looking strong as well," Grignon said.

New items such as Christmas decorations, wine boxes, hats and high-quality stockings are very popular, she said. Doing such good business while the economy is slow is bittersweet, according to Grignon.

"It is a mixed blessing because while we don't like to see the economy be as slow as it is, it's really good for us because people tend to be on a budget."

Skills Inc., stores accept credit cards, which also has been a bonus, according to Grignon.

At the Salvation Army store Thursday, Patricia Chute, of Waterville, was pushing a cart and browsing.

"I come here at least once a week," she said. "A lot of times, I buy things I give away. I'll buy it and re-do it and make it look like new."

Chute said the prices of items are a fraction of what one would pay at any other store.

"A dollar, $2 for things. It's amazing and it's nice things. You look around and you can find real nice things."

Amy Calder -- 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com