A guide to thrift stores in NYC: Where to go and what’s selling right now

Thrifting in New York City is not for the faint of heart. You want that Stussy Mask Jacquard Sherpa? Be prepared to dig through racks. How about a gently used vintage leather jacket? Get ready to sort through all 50 options.

But thrifting — as time-consuming as it can be — is having a moment in New York City. Owners of used clothing stores across the city say demand began to tick up around 2021. Photos of Bella Hadid, A$AP Rocky and Rihanna snapped at various thrift stores across the city have helped the trend along since then.

Thrift store owners say two forces are driving the demand: TikTok influencers who have spotlighted the city's thrift stores as well as a desire by consumers of all ages — but especially Gen Z — to make eco-friendly choices.

“There’s a greater consciousness of consumers and awareness that global warming is real,” said Alexis Krase, owner of Plus BKLYN, a thrift store in Williamsburg.

She said many of her customers are bothered by what they see as waste in fashion and are gravitating toward “more secondhand and slow fashion things that are more ethically produced.”

If you’re curious about getting started in thrifting, or want to know what’s selling, here's a list of popular thrift stores in the city and some of their most coveted items.

Cure Thrift Shop (East Village)

Liz Wolff launched Cure Thrift a little over 15 years ago and has observed a shift in people's attitudes toward buying used clothing.

“With social media, it’s become cool to post that they're in thrift shops,” she said.

Wolff said vintage knits, cardigans and pullover sweaters have been flying off the racks.

Used luxury brands like Bottega Veneta, vintage Gucci and vintage Prada are also in high demand; those brands don’t stay in the store long before they get bought up.

The biggest trend Wolff has noticed? Customers want Y2K-era items, such as chunky heels, small designer shoulder bags, and early 2000s prom dresses by Jessica McClintock.

“Fifteen years ago, the kind of stuff that, when it would come into my store, I wouldn't even put it out because it was so dated for that time, but now it's in,” she said. “The uglier the better.”

Beacon’s Closet (locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan)

Beacon’s Closet, which has locations in Manhattan as well as in Park Slope, Bushwick and Greenpoint, offers vintage and contemporary clothing at relatively low prices.

Nikolai Hunt, a buyer for the store, said its customer base in Manhattan covers a wide range of people but mostly consists of fashion students from Parsons School of Design and industry professionals like stylists and designers.

He said their hot-ticket items include designer labels like Gucci, Dior, and Bottega Veneta; mid-tier designers like Anne Klein; and statement pieces like bold-colored cashmere sweaters.

Hunt said he believes the desire to find unique items and make ecofriendly choices draws people to thrifting.

“Mass production is a major source of pollution,” he said. “So people gravitate towards stores like this because in a way it is recycling and making old things new again.”

Seven Wonders Collective (locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan)

At Seven Wonders Collective's locations in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and the Lower East Side, each rack in the store belongs to a different independent vendor.

“People are realizing that there's nothing sustainable about most fashion brands and the easiest way to avoid that is to shop secondhand and make use of what's already on the planet,” said Alessandra Canario, who sells her brand Ally Bird Vintage at the Williamsburg location.

The store's bestsellers include items from the 1950s and ‘70s; and vintage items from designers who’ve recently died, like Vivienne Westwood and Issey Miyake; and items from designers who’ve been famous for decades, such as recently retired Jean Paul Gaultier.

She’s also noticed an interest in see-through fabrics.

“Sheer is really hot for us,” she said. “People are loving to layer lately, which is really cool because it's a tough thing to style. And Gaultier is kind of the king of mesh. He's the one who popularized it.”

Plus BKLYN (Williamsburg)

Plus BKLYN specializes in clothes for people size 12 and up.

The owner, Alexis Krase, said she founded the store after moving to the “fashion capital” of the world and discovering how difficult it was to shop for her fuller figure.

“I built Plus BKLYN because I knew that if I had this problem, there were many others who experienced the same,” she said.

Popular items at Plus BKLYN include dresses with bold prints, maxi skirts, and “rare” plus-size Levi denim jeans. She said that their most popular brands include Wray and Big Bud Press.

“Plus sizes have traditionally been matronly, ill-fitting, and all sorts of stuff,” she said. “Because we're doing the inverse of that, we're trying to provide really beautiful, fun, young, hip clothes.”

Other People’s Clothes (Bushwick)

Charlie Gonzalez, store manager at Other People’s Clothes in Bushwick, said the majority of customers are young adults learning about fashion through TikTok.

Hot items include those that are “dupes” of popular brands.

“Younger people do not have the money to buy the clothes that are most popular right now,” he said. “There's a pair of Miu Miu boots that are really hot right now. They retail over $2,000, but they can find a pair of Harley Davidson boots at our store for around $50 or $60.”

Other sought after styles include Y2K-era brands like Juicy Couture, Coach and Ed Hardy, a brand of choice for Kevin “K-Fed” Federline in the aughts.

L-Train Vintage (various locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan)

L-Train Vintage has several locations around the city, including storefronts in Bushwick, Williamsburg and Crown Heights. This store is beloved among fans for its streetwear and workwear options.

Sought-after brands include Dickies, Levis, and Carhartt, according to Daisy Perez, who works in the company's office. When the weather starts to cool down, Perez said jackets, flannels and sweaters sell quickly.

10 Ft Single by Stella Dallas (Williamsburg)

Cowboy boots, military jackets and quality denim are the bread and butter of vintage store 10 Ft Single. It’s popular with celebrities like model Bella Hadid, young adults and older tourists, according to store manager Andres Ortega.

“One of the main reasons that makes our store very popular is because [with] 100 bucks you can buy a bunch of stuff,” said Ortega. “You don't need a ton of money.”

Ortega said the store's best-selling products include items like old Converse, printed T-shirts, and men's corduroy pants.

“The owners have been in the business since the ‘90s, selling vintage and they try to make sure everything that they get is of the best quality possible,” he said.

Buffalo Exchange (locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan)

Buffalo Exchange, one of the most recognized chains in the thrifting game, was founded in Arizona in 1974 and has since expanded across the U.S. It’s known for deals on everyday clothing versus designer labels.

Its bestsellers include “closet staples like high-quality denim, nice button downs, blouses and outerwear,” according to Aarian Frye, the company’s marketing coordinator.