A Guide to Thrift Stores in NYC and Brooklyn

The ultimate guide to finding great pieces to add to your closet.

Want to go thrifting but don’t know where to start? Love thrifting but need a new store to visit? Feel like you’ve been to all the ‘good’ thrift stores in NYC and Brooklyn? Shopping for something specific and want to get it from a thrift store? You’ve come to the right place.

I received a very sweet message in my inbox a couple weeks ago. She was asking for good thrift stores in NYC and Brooklyn because she’s getting married at the courthouse and wants to buy her dress from a thrift store. First, how fabulous that she’s shopping secondhand for her wedding day and second, it made my day that she turned to me for some ideas.

Surprisingly, I don’t have a running list of my favorite thrift stores in Brooklyn and NYC. Instead, I keep a mental list in my head. I’ll either remember to stop in to the store when I’m in the given neighborhood or make a specific trip to the store when the mood hits. Her question prompted me to create a list which I then saved in my notes.

As someone who loves to hear about new thrift and vintage stores from others, I thought it would be fun to share my list for you to easily save and reference. Something that you can keep in your back pocket when someone comes to visit, your friend wants to do a day of thrifting, or you had a stressful day and want to take yourself shopping.

For those of you who get overwhelmed by the thought of entering a thrift store, I suggest going into it with a few pieces in mind (i.e. crew neck sweater, wide leg trousers, field jacket, etc.) and looking for quality fabrics and specific colors. This helps narrow your focus and makes it easier to scan the racks rather than feeling like your eyes are darting all over the place unsure of where to start.

I always keep my eye out for: wool or cashmere sweaters, button down shirts (always check the mens section), and pants that are a size or two up from my usual size to get a pant style inspired by the The Row (again you can check the men’s section).

The pant section (not denim) is often robust with good quality pants. If you tend to like high waisted pants and can only find good-fitting low rise styles, pair them with an oversized longer shirt to hide the waist. AND don’t forget to check the bag section. The older women whose bags are now vintage, knew how to take care of them so they’re often in great condition.

The accessories section has a lot to offer. Look for belts, oversized glasses, and jewelry to add some interest to an outfit.

With that in mind, find the guide below to my favorite thrift stores in NYC and Brooklyn.

NYC Thrift Stores

Beacon’s Closet (10 W 13th St)

Cure Thrift Shop (91 Third Ave)

Housing Works (157 E 23rd St). There are a few locations around NYC so make sure to check the website for one closest to you.

Goodwill NYNJ Store (7 W 14th St)

No Relation (204 1st Ave)

East Village Thrift Shop (186 2nd Ave)

The Salvation Army Thrift Store (208 E 23rd St)

The Salvation Army Family Store (536 W 46th St)

Unique Boutique Thrift Shop (402 3rd Ave)

Upper EastSide Thrift Shop (1670 1st Ave)

Brooklyn Thrift Stores

The Salvation Army Family Store (436 Atlantic Ave)

Beacon’s Closet (74 Guernsey St)

Life Boutique Thrift (515 5th Ave)

Life Boutique Thrift (66 5th Ave)

Housing Works (266 5th Ave)

Big Reuse (1 12th St)

Urban Jungle (118 Knickerbocker Ave)

No Relation (654 Sackett St)

New Brooklyn Fashion (1065 Broadway)

Buffalo Exchange (504 Driggs Ave)

P.S. For those of you who like to visit curated vintage shops rather than thrift stores, that list is coming.

I love learning about new thrift stores from others. If I didn’t include a favorite of yours, I would love for you to share it in the comments section!

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Happy thrifting! Until next time…

With love,

Victoria