Deseret Industries runs some of the best-stocked thrift stores in the western US — warehouse-scale, clean, organized, and open to anyone regardless of faith background.
Deseret Industries (commonly called DI) is the thrift retail and job-training program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The organization runs roughly 50 locations, concentrated in Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada, and California, with a small footprint elsewhere. DI stores are distinctive for their scale — most are bigger than comparable Salvation Army or Goodwill locations — and for their dual role as thrift retail and employment training sites for people the Church is helping get back on their feet. For how DI fits into the broader thrift chain landscape, see our Thrift Store Chains hub.
The DI model
Deseret Industries is nonprofit and owned by the Church. Unlike AMVETS or DAV (which license to for-profit operators), DI is fully owned and run by the Church’s welfare arm. That structural difference matters: DI stores operate at a cost basis more like Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Centers than like a chain contracted out to third parties.
Each DI location is both a retail thrift and a job-training center. Employees at DI are often participants in the Church’s welfare program who are developing job skills — retail operations, warehouse management, customer service, electronics testing. Many move on to outside employment after their DI tenure. This model is comparable to Salvation Army’s ARC program (our Salvation Army Thrift Store review covers that) and to the Goodwill job-training mission (our Is Goodwill a Thrift Store — Here’s the Honest Answer piece walks through Goodwill’s structure).
What DI stores actually stock
DI locations are among the most comprehensive generalist thrifts in their markets. Expect:
- Apparel — deep, organized by size and type. Men’s, women’s, kids’, shoes, accessories, outerwear. Modest-apparel conventions in LDS-majority markets mean broader skirt and long-sleeve inventory than you might find elsewhere, but the stores carry everything.
- Furniture — consistent and often higher quality than chain thrifts. The donor base includes many LDS families clearing out homes, and the faith’s culture of clean donations shows up in the furniture floor. Upholstered pieces, wooden furniture, desks, dining sets all rotate regularly.
- Electronics — this is a DI standout. Most locations have dedicated electronics testing areas, and items are checked before being sold. Flat-screen TVs, small appliances, audio equipment, kitchenware appliances all routinely pass through.
- Housewares — deep. Dishes, cookware, storage, decor, holiday items.
- Books and media — reliable. Heavier religious representation (naturally, given the donor base) but broad secular selection alongside.
- Sporting goods — better than most chains, reflecting Utah’s outdoor culture. Used skis, bikes, camping gear surface regularly.
Pricing runs at the lower end of the nonprofit thrift spectrum. Clothing $3-10, housewares $1-15, furniture $20-250. Weekly sales are common, often color-tag rotations similar to Salvation Army’s model.
Shopping experience
Clean, bright, well-organized. DI stores are consistently the tidiest thrift floors I have visited in markets where they operate. The layout is warehouse-style but merchandised carefully — not the chaos of a typical Outlet store. Fitting rooms work, registers are staffed, carts are available.
Non-LDS shoppers are welcome and common. The stores do not require religious affiliation; in Salt Lake City and other LDS-majority markets, DI is simply one of the biggest and best-stocked thrifts in the area, and shoppers of every background are regulars. There are no religious displays pushed at customers, no proselytizing attempts. It is retail, professionally done.
Hours are standard retail — most locations open 10-9 weekdays, reduced Sundays (closed Sundays at most locations, reflecting Church practice). Plan accordingly if you are a Sunday shopper in DI markets.
Where DI operates
The concentration is Mormon-majority states:
- Utah — largest footprint. Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden, St. George all have multiple locations. The Salt Lake City store is probably the highest-volume DI in the network.
- Idaho — Boise, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, others.
- Arizona — Phoenix metro (Mesa especially), Tucson, Flagstaff.
- Nevada — Las Vegas (covered in our Thrift Store Las Vegas piece), Reno.
- California — several locations, mostly in areas with larger LDS populations (Sacramento, Southern California inland).
- Scattered elsewhere in the western US.
If you are visiting Utah, Idaho, or Arizona and want the full thrift experience the region offers, DI belongs on the route. For the broader thrift-approach playbook, Thrifting is the master resource. Post-haul, a Garment Steamer For Thrifted Clothes on Amazon takes care of rack creases in minutes.
DI versus other western US thrifts
DI competes directly with Savers/Value Village and Goodwill in most of its markets. A quick breakdown:
- DI vs Savers — DI is cheaper per item. Savers has broader geographic reach; DI is western-US specific.
- DI vs Goodwill — DI is comparable on pricing, slightly better on cleanliness and furniture curation in my experience.
- DI vs small community thrifts — DI is a warehouse operation; community thrifts are boutique scale. Different shopping modes.
For the chain-level comparison, our Savers Thrift Store review covers the closest parallel operation.
The verdict
Deseret Industries is one of the best-run thrift chains in the country. The stores are consistently clean, well-stocked, fairly priced, and professionally managed. The employee-training mission is genuine and well-integrated into the retail operation. Non-LDS shoppers have no reason to hesitate — the stores function as professional retail without religious gatekeeping. In DI markets (Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada inland, parts of California), DI should be on your regular rotation alongside Goodwill and whatever local nonprofit options are available. The electronics and furniture sections are where DI most clearly outperforms competitors; apparel is comparable to any mid-tier generalist thrift. For the one knock: Sunday hours are limited across most locations, so plan around that. If you are in the western US and have not tried DI, the Salt Lake City store is the flagship experience — huge, comprehensive, reliably excellent.
FAQ
Do you have to be LDS to shop at Deseret Industries?
No. DI stores are open to everyone regardless of faith background. Shoppers of every religion (and none) are regulars.
Are Deseret Industries thrift stores nonprofit?
Yes. DI is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as part of its welfare services. Donations are tax-deductible.
Where can I find a Deseret Industries thrift store?
Primarily in Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada, and California. The locator at deseretindustries.org lists all locations.
