Last Updated: August 4, 2022
Best Vintage Stores In NYC
Vintage shopping has never been so popular but finding good vintage clothing isn’t so easy. You can spend hours upon hours looking through the racks of all the charity shops you can find and still come up with nothing.
But it is those magical vintage pieces that you sometimes stumble upon that keep you going back for more. What if those moments could happen more often but with less effort?
No one has the time to skim through racks in hope all the time, and finding a vintage shop that selects its pieces will make your chances of finding great vintage pieces a lot higher. I am here to help.
Join me as we run through the best vintage stores in NYC so that you can waste less time scrubbing through racks in sub-par vintage shops and have the best vintage shopping experience possible.
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L Train Vintage
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L Train Vintage is one of your top vintage shopping options in New York City. They have a few vintage shops in both the Williamsburg and Bushwick neighborhoods so you are never too far from one.
These vintage shops are all about great vintage goods and secondhand clothing at very reasonable prices. You will find some excellent vintage garments here and be able to get a whole outfit for under $100 which is pretty solid.
To find good pieces in this shop, you have got to keep on looking and you eventually stumble upon something awesome. You aren’t going to find designer brands created by high-end designers like Gucci but you will find something great that works as an awesome piece.
Pippin Vintage Jewelry
One of the top shops in NYC for vintage jewelry is, without a doubt, Pippin in Chelsea. You will find it on 112 West 17th Street between 6th and 7th Avenue and it is the perfect place to pick up any kind of jewelry you might be looking for.
Most famous for its statement pieces it has a massive collection of old-school jewelry as well as fine jewelry and vintage costumes to boot. There is so much to look at that it is pretty hard to leave without buying a few nice pieces to take home with you.
The prices are very manageable too as you can pick up something for $18 if you are on a budget, and you also have the option to splurge on a vintage diamond necklace if that is your vibe.
Le Grand Strip
Le Grand Strip is probably the best vintage shop in Brooklyn, if not in New York, and you will find it at 197 Grand Street between Bedford and Driggs.
It was founded by CC McGurr, a former fashion writer who has created a place full of hidden treasures. You can find everything in this shop from unknown pieces that will blow your mind to Jean Paul Gaultier, Dior, and other top designers too.
No matter what you are looking for whether it is jeans, vintage tees, or anything else, their extensive selection will have it waiting for you. You don’t even have to go to the shop as you can order online from Le Grand Strip and get your pieces shipped to anywhere in the US.
Beacon’s Closet
When shopping vintage, you can not pass up an opportunity to go to Beacon’s Closet in New York. You will find that they have a ton of locations around Manhattan, New York and Brooklyn, New York, so you are never far away from one.
This shop holds a mixture of contemporary and vintage pieces which are curated by the excellent buyers behind the counter. You will find designer pieces from decades ago as well as great vintage from local designers.
This store is renowned for giving great deals and having some reasonable prices too. They stock all forms of clothing, so long as the buyers have approved the style and they like it, not anything gets onto these shelves.
Cure Thrift Shop
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Cure Thrift Shop is another of the great vintage stores in New York and you should feel good about spending money here as it is a non-profit that gives all its money to helping cure type one diabetes.
Sitting on 111 East 12th Street between 3rd and 4th Avenue, the vibe inside Cure Thrift Shop is awesome. The music is always on point and the lighting is delightful – no pun intended. It feels like a boutique shop but with much better prices.
Spread over two floors, this shop is crammed with awesome vintage goods from clothes to furniture and jewelry too. The clothes are well sorted which makes finding gems a bit easier and you can find goods across a range of prices.
Once you have shopped around the clothes, look at the art and antiques too plus the great accessories.
Metropolis Vintage
Sitting in East Village on 803 Broadway street is one of the top vintage stores in New York and it is a classic in the Lower East Side of the city.
This store has been here for more than 30 years and knows how to select great vintage pieces so you can always find a gem here so long as you look hard enough. Even celebrities go shopping here, so it is probably worth you popping in too!
This spot has vintage designer clothes from the likes of Tommy Hilfiger to Polo Ralph Lauren but their specialty is vintage band and concert tees that are dedicated to specific artists and genres across many years.
It is one of the more expensive vintage stores in New York but it is worth having a look inside.
No Relation Vintage
No Relation Vintage is the sister store to L Train Vintage and while it isn’t a very organized store it does have a ton of awesome pieces dating back to the 1950s and 1960s, but a lot of their gear is a lot more recent.
It does get very crowded inside this shop so it is wise to arrive when they are open. You can find amazing deals here like Levi shorts for less than $10 and they have everything from leather jackets to braided tank tops and more.
You will find this awesome vintage store at 204 1st Avenue between 12th and 13th Street. Be sure to spend some time going through the racks and do not give up as there are some amazing pieces to be found for close to nothing.
Screaming Mimi’s
Sitting at 240 West 14th Street between 7th and 8th Avenue is one of the best vintage stores in New York and one of the most famous, Screaming Mimi’s.
Screaming Mimi’s is so renowned that it is even used by costume designers to source some of their greatest outfits.
The store holds a plethora of goods from costumes to great vintage picks and if you head to the penthouse you can find designer items such as Dior, Moschino, Pucci, and more.
The staff inside are excellent and they know every piece in the shop and thus can help you find what you are looking for quickly. This is a vintage store everyone has to stop in while in New York as it has some of the best pieces around.
Hamlet’s Vintage
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Hamlet’s Vintage has been around since 2007 and featured at trade shows and markets before it got its store on 146 West 4th Street in the West Village.
It is now one of the most popular vintage stores in the area and this is due to what it stocks. This store has an authentic range that spans every decade from the 1940s to the 1990s so you are going to find some unique pieces without question.
They stock everything from coats to men’s clothing, dresses, jewelry, and lots more. It is a well-organized store too and a lovely place to shop plus the staff are very helpful and friendly too.
Awoke Vintage
Awoke Vintage is actually an Australian vintage store originally that began its journey as a market stall in Perth. Needless to say, it was very successful and it moved to its first store in Brooklyn, New York in 2012 and into two more locations since.
There is a reason for this shop’s success of course, and it is the amazing vintage goodies they have on sale. You simply have to go into one of their stores while in the city.
It is famous for having a huge collection of Levi’s and dresses plus it is excellently put together and only has top-quality vintage pieces for sale across all clothing types too.
Mr. Throwback
Mr. Throwback is a store that dates back to 2012 and it specializes in vintage sportswear from the decades of the 1980s and 1990s.
You will find everything from old jackets to racks of t-shirts and Champion NBA jerseys of your favorite teams.
The store also makes its own hoodies and tees too that are all about sporting nostalgia and popular moments from the past. It is without a doubt that you will find something cool and unique in this store, it is well worth a visit.
Collections Vintage
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You will find Collections Vintage in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn and it has made its name through its lovely vibe and excellent curation.
This is a smaller vintage store that is stunningly decorated with soft lighting and a great atmosphere that makes shopping relaxed and peaceful.
The curation is on point too and you will only see the best of what is available on the vintage market. They stock everything from stunning dresses to jackets and more, but as I said before, they only stock the best.
You can also buy from collections online through their Instagram stories and through direct messaging on social media too.
Madame Matovu
Madame Matovu is another of the great vintage shops in New York and you will find it in Greenwich Village at 240 West 10th Street between Hudson and Bleeker.
This shop is a real find in the vintage world and although it is small, it is full of amazing vintage items that you will want to buy.
It was founded by Rosemary Wettenhall back in 2007 who is an absolute delight to talk to and is very helpful when you are in the store too. She has curated an awesome mix of different goods from antiques from around the globe to great clothes, accessories, and more.
Their furs and purses are some of the best vintage items of their kind in the city too so don’t forget to look at everything in the shop as nothing is worth missing. Plus everything is on sale at a range of price points, so finding something in your budget isn’t so hard.
Tokio 7
Tokio 7 has been at its location on 83 East 7th Street since way back in 1996 and is a renowned vintage shop in the East Village. This little shop stocks a great mix of eclectic goodies from luxury brands to local designers and classics from the past too.
It has a strong emphasis on Japanese designers too, hence the name, the owner is also from Tokyo, so there is certainly a theme here.
The prices are high in this shop but chances are you will find something you love that is worth the price tag.
Star Struck Vintage Clothing
Star Struck is another awesome vintage store that you simply must visit so long as you are prepared to dig through the racks on racks of clothing that dates from the 1940s to the 1970s.
There is literally everything in this store from bandanas to fur, bow ties, cowboy hats, top hats, brass buckles, scarves, concert tees, and more. The pricing is excellent too but be prepared to look hard and contend with other shops to find the gems you have been secretly dreaming about.
The store stocks both men’s and women’s clothes, and as well as a huge collection, you can also find some designer items in here too for an absolute bargain.
About the Author Roger Timbrook
Roger is a little obsessed with travel. He has been to over 40 countries, broken 3 suitcases and owned over 10 backpacks in 12 months. What he doesn't know about travel, ain't worth knowing!
