ELLE’s Complete Guide to the 22 Best Thrift Stores in New York City
From Queens to the Seaport, here’s the low-down on thrifting your way through the Big Apple.
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You thought I was going to begin a story about New York City’s best thrift stores with a Macklemore lyric? Please.
I’m going to start with a Little Mermaid lyric: “Look at this trove, treasures untold/How many wonders can one cavern hold...I’ve got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty/I’ve got whozits and whatzits galore...But who cares? No big deal,/I want more.”
I don’t think there were any Plato’s Closets under the sea, but the mermaid’s words certainly resonate with thrifters. Once you’ve caught the secondhand bug, it becomes a full-fledged hobby. And with a metropolis as robust as New York City, you better believe the thrifting market is full of one-of-a-kind finds.
“There is something about New York,” says Kathleen Sorbara, owner of Chickee’s Vintage in Williamsburg. “People don’t have a lot of space, so there’s always going to be that supply-and-demand in thrift stores simply because people are always getting rid of things because they don’t have enough space in New York City.” (I never thought I’d be grateful for Manhattan’s tiny closets, that is, until the day I stumbled upon a vintage Fendi top. God bless.)
But where to start? There are a lot of shops purveying everything from secondhand handbags to Hypebeast sneakers. Janelle Best, the owner of Williamsburg’s Shop 86, admits it can feel impossible to thrift in New York City. Whether you’re a born-and-bred New Yorker or just visiting for a weekend getaway, you’ve got to be a strategic shopper.
So I dug deep, polling fashion editors and industry insiders to find out which of the city’s thrift stores and vintage shops are actually worth a subway ride. Ahead, find all you need to know about the best thrift stores in NYC.
(Editor’s Note: Each store has been sorted into the following categories. $ signifies a shop with most items under $100; $$ signifies one with a wide range, mostly between $50-200; and $$$ indicates a shop with few to no items under $100 and many upwards of $200+)
L Train Vintage
Prices: $
Neighborhood: East Village, Brooklyn locations
Online shop: No
All locations open daily except for Bushwick, closed on Sunday.
L Train Vintage is as close to a chain shop as secondhand gets without venturing into Buffalo Exchange territory. You can also find LTV, No Relation Vintage, and Urban Jungle locations throughout the city. (More on Urban Jungle below!)
Procell
Prices: $$$
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Online shop: On Depop
Closed on Monday.
As a Procell shopper, you join the ranks of Bella Hadid, Rihanna, and Kourtney Kardashian.
Chickee’s Vintage
Prices: $$
Neighborhood: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Online storefront: Shop now
Open daily.
You can always rely on Chickee’s for classic staples like Levi’s 501s. Fashion insiders and editors (cough, cough) consider Chickee’s one of the must-see vintage stores in the city. Designers, celebrity stylists, and other bigwigs also frequent this minimalist shop.
Lara Koleji
Prices: $$
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Online storefront: Shop now
Closed on Monday.
Lara Koleji is another industry favorite, being one that some of the other thrift store owners I talked to cited this shop as one of their go-to’s.
Rogue
Prices: $$
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Online storefront: Shop now
Open daily.
From graphic tees to crochet hats, Rogue is the funky shop to hit up after scrolling Y2K fashion TikToks all weekend.
Other People’s Clothes
Prices: $
Neighborhood: Brooklyn, Queens locations
Online storefront: Shop now
Open daily.
Head to Other People’s Clothes to make a few bucks off your spring wardrobe purge, and pick up some very well-priced pieces while you’re at it. Bonus points for naming the store Other People’s Clothes.
Shop 86
Prices:
Neighborhood: Williamsburg
Online storefront: No
Open daily.
Shop 86 has something for everyone. It comprises seven different vendors, all of whom have vastly different styles and specialties, ranging from archival Balmain to electro-rave.
Beacon’s Closet
Prices: $
Neighborhood: NoHo, Brooklyn locations
Online storefront: Shop now
Open daily.
Perhaps one of New York City’s most well-known vintage shops, Beacon’s has certainly earned its place in secondhand stardom. Each of the locations is stocked with a diverse selection of well-priced clothes and accessories, ripe for the picking.
Urban Jungle
Prices: $
Neighborhood: Bushwick, Brooklyn
Online storefront: No
Open daily.
A true thrifter’s haven. This spacious lot is stocked with racks of Instagram-ready attires, inexpensive books, and other fun knickknacks to add to your collection.
Friends NYC
Prices: $
Neighborhood: East Williamsburg
Online storefront: Shop now
Open daily.
What started as an entirely vintage shop run by two best friends has blossomed into a tchotchke wonderland. The store is now split between vintage clothes and retail gifts and decor. Think: Urban Outfitters, but a small business—and better. I can guarantee you won’t walk out empty-handed.
Seven Wonders Collective
Prices: $$
Neighborhood: Brooklyn locations
Online storefront: No
Open daily.
Vintage stores featuring curations from a variety of buyers are often the best because they have greater range. Case in point: Brooklyn’s Seven Wonders Collective.
10ft Single By Stella Dallas
Prices: $
Neighborhood: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Online storefront: No
Open daily.
Some vintage stores lean more antique shop than thrift beat. This is one of those places. Block off a chunk of time to peruse the dense inventory of home goods and deadstock apparel here.
Club Vintage
Prices: $$$
Neighborhood: Seaport
Online storefront: Shop now
Closed on Monday and Tuesday.
WARNING: Do not go to Club Vintage if you are prone to interior design and home decor lust. In addition to a beautiful curation of designer garments, the store’s furnishing selection is unmatched.
Michael’s
Prices: $$$
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Online storefront: Shop now
Closed on weekends.
Honestly, really good vintage stores are far more plentiful in Brooklyn than in Manhattan. But Michael’s? It’s a real gem.
Grand Street Local
Prices: $$
Neighborhood: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Online storefront: Shop now
Closed on Monday.
I had to put myself on a thrifted tee ban because my collection has grown to an absurd size. But, alas, if you have more self-control than I do, Grand Street Local is your one-stop shop for graphic sweatshirts, band tees, and the like.
Crossroads Trading
Prices: $
Neighborhood: Flatiron, West Village locations
Online storefront: No
Open daily.
Full disclosure, Crossroads is more well-liked as a place for buying secondhand clothes than it is as a place for selling your clothes. So keep that in mind, but if you’re just looking to shop—shop on!
Tokio 7
Prices: $$$
Neighborhood: East Village
Online storefront: Shop now
Open daily.
Tokio 7 specializes in luxury brands and designer items that are in excellent condition. Check it out for both menswear and womenswear from labels like Proenza Schouler, Marni, and Jean Paul Gaultier.
Quality Mending Co.
Prices: $$
Neighborhood: Bowery
Online storefront: Shop now
Closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Quality Mending has a unique selection of items that feel truly vintage. You won’t find any Zara or Forever 21 items hanging here.
Church Street Surplus
Prices: $$
Neighborhood: SoHo
Online storefront: Shop now
Closed on Sunday.
Military surplus store-turned-Gen Z-favorite. It’s the American Dream.
Le Grand Strip
Prices: $$$
Neighborhood: Williamsburg
Online storefront: Shop now
Open daily.
Can I just let this Chanel bag do the talking? Shopping at Le Grand Strip doesn’t feel like secondhand shopping. Check it out for a luxe experience and your next sustainable investment piece.
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