Vintage Shopping Guide — New York
JUST IN TIME FOR SECONDHAND SEPTEMBER, OUR EDITORS PICKED THEIR TOP 5 NEW YORK CITY VINTAGE STORES FOR YOU! WE WENT ALL ACROSS MANHATTAN AND BROOKLYN, FROM SOHO TO WILLIAMSBURG, TO PICK THE BEST PLACES TO FIND SECONDHAND TREASURES. WE INCLUDED STORES FROM DIFFERENT PRICE RANGES AND STYLES, SOME OF THEM ARE PERFECT TO FIND THAT LEVI’S 501 JEANS YOU’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR (CHECK OUT THE JEANIUS BAR AT THE VINTAGE TWIN) OTHERS ARE GREAT TO GET TIMELESS DESIGNS FOR A CAPSULE WARDROBE (HEAD TO MIRTH OR CHICKEE’S VINTAGE). WE INCLUDED A NEW YORK ICON, WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND, WHO CELEBRATED THEIR 30TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR, AS WELL AS SOME NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: HEART & LOU’S VINTAGE BOUTIQUE OPENED THEIR SOHO DOORS JUST A FEW MONTHS BACK. AS ALWAYS, WE GAVE ALL FOUNDERS THE SAME THREE QUESTIONS TO GIVE YOU SOME INSIGHTS ON THEIR EXPERIENCE IN THE VINTAGE FIELD AND THEIR FOUNDING STORY.
photographs by ANDREW DAY
words by SARAH MARIE DAY & VINTAGE STORE FOUNDERS
01 // CHICKEE’S VINTAGE
Address: 135 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Founded by Kathleen Sorbara in 2019
A CONVERSATION WITH THE FOUNDER
How did you start your career in the vintage market?
I started by selling my clothes on the street in the middle of Williamsburg! An old roommate of mine had a storefront on Grand Street, and we wanted to sell off some of our old clothes.
Did the attitude towards vintage change within the last years?
The vintage market has changed a lot, even in the past two years. In New York, consumers want to be more mindful about where they spend their money— supporting local businesses instead of larger chains. We’ve definitely seen a change in our consumer — people are more willing to invest in higher end, higher quality vintage garments than ever before. The sustainable appeal is there of course, but we also like to encourage our customers to be more sustainable in the way that they think about shopping. Something that’s gained popularity recently is the "capsule wardrobe"— we encourage our customers to invest in items that they can wear over and over again, as opposed to buying a bunch of loud items that they’ll eventually lose interest in.
What is your favorite piece you have ever sold?
I don’t know about a favorite piece necessarily, but I remember coming across this insane collection at a flea market— it was like a French grandma’s closet exploded. I picked up around 30 really unique 1900s to 1950s night dresses that day, along with some really old beautiful textiles, some of which I still have. Each slip dress had its own personality, and it was so cool to see each of them sell off in the store to their new owners. If I remember correctly, I think one of our customers bought one to wear on her wedding day.
02 // WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND
Addresses: 351 West Broadway, New York, NY 10013 & 113 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10012 Founded by Seth Weisser and Gerard Maione in 1993
A CONVERSATION WITH CO-FOUNDER GERARD MAIONE
How did you start your career in the vintage market?
As college friends moving to NYC in the early 1990’s, Seth and I immediately dove into the fashion and nightlife scene and wanted to make an individual style statement on a resourceful budget. We started shopping vintage stores and flea markets extracting cool pieces to build our wardrobes and had an amazing reaction from the tastemakers. The vintage stores at that time were very thrifty with no real point of view and it was like a needle in a haystack, finding that special piece. I was working at Ralph Lauren, taking in the curated world of product, merchandising and service Ralph was built on. We realized there was an opportunity to bring this aesthetic and culture to the vintage world, which was non existing and pioneering for the time. We took the leap into opening our West Broadway flagship and celebrated our 30 year anniversary this year.
Did the attitude towards vintage change within the last years?
There has been an incredible evolution to vintage over the recent years. It went from having to sell people on the aspect of wearing vintage and pre-owned luxury to full acceptability and demand in the market. There are many factors contributing to this, including sustainability, a passion for individualized style, investment based purchasing and collecting. Vintage was also viewed in the past as a more decade based form, from Victorian through the 90’s, and has now become luxury based within the sector, raising the bar with all the major fashion houses and the handbag game. It continues to grow and is reaching global markets, and is definitely here to stay.
What is your favorite piece you have ever sold?
We sold an 1880’s Levi‘s buckle back jean, that came out of a mine, to the Levi‘s Museum for $25,000.
03 // MIRTH VINTAGE
Address: 606 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn NY 11222
Founded by Lauren Moetell in 2015
A CONVERSATION WITH THE FOUNDER
How did you start your career in the vintage market?
I started very much as an outsider to the fashion and vintage scene. I was thrifting quite a lot while in school in Ohio and opened an Etsy shop in 2014 as an outlet for that habit. When I moved to New York, I worked a couple days a week in vintage retail while applying for jobs in other areas. When those applications didn't pan out, I started a booth at Brooklyn Flea and Artists & Fleas under my Etsy business name. A few months later, the owner of the vintage store I worked for decided to move on, and I took over her lease at the space I'm at now. I also took her racks, hangers, some furniture, and of course, customers — I really was very lucky to not have to build my walk-in business from scratch.
Did the attitude towards vintage change within the last years?
Vintage is so much more commonplace than it was even 8 years ago, when I opened in Greenpoint. It's a relief to no longer have to defend my prices to customers, or explain the difference between our shop and a thrift store — I can tell people are more knowledgeable about brands and more willing to choose vintage not just for occasion dressing but for things like cotton basics and shoes. The negative side is that items can be much harder to find — especially the vintage denim. Since 2015 the effort and cost I pay for vintage Levi‘s has at least doubled, and I only sell 80s-90s styles primarily — older pairs are even more difficult to find.
What is your favorite piece you have ever sold?
This is the hardest question to answer! I really enjoy seeing pieces go rather than holding onto them — the highest satisfaction is seeing an item suit someone perfectly. It's especially nice for me when an item goes to a returning customer or someone I know — I love seeing them worn months, years after they left my care. If I had to pick something at random I would say this Katharine Hamnett pantsuit that went to my friend and neighbor, or a pair of patchwork Y2K Levi‘s that are gloriously too long on my 5'11 friend.
04 // HEART & LOU’S
Address: 100 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012
Founded by Heartleigh Little in 2023
A CONVERSATION WITH THE FOUNDER
How did you start your career in the vintage market?
I had an interest in vintage since a young age. I remember going through my grandmother's closet and trying on all the decades-old pieces she had collected. Something about being transported to a different time and place through clothing always drew me in. I’ve collected vintage since high school and loved searching for pieces that no one else had. After working in e-commerce and styling for 10 years, I felt overwhelmed by the amount of waste and overproduction in the fashion industry. I’ve always encouraged clients to buy vintage and second-hand and felt that expanding my own collection into a shoppable space was the next move.
Did the attitude towards vintage change within the last years?
The interest in vintage and second-hand has exploded over the past few years. I love it. The concept of vintage fashion has a lot of barriers to entry - whether it be price, knowledge, or the fear of buying ‘used’ - so I love that people are becoming more interested in the style, rarity, and sustainability aspect of the pieces instead.
What is your favorite piece you have ever sold?
An early 90s Donna Karan Moto Jacket - it was bright yellow and covered in patches all specific to NYC. It was iconic and tailor-made to fit the customer who purchased it, but definitely the one that got away. Parting with pieces is an exercise in patience and letting go. Honestly, I experience a tiny heartbreak every day when pieces sell. But seeing a client treasure a piece is precisely why I do what I do.
05 // THE VINTAGE TWIN
Address: 597 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
Founded by twins Morgan and Samantha Elias in 2010
A CONVERSATION WITH CO-FOUNDER SAMANTHA ELIAS
How did you start your career in the vintage market?
I started by wearing a lot of vintage clothing and getting a flood of compliments every time. The attention was really too much to ignore and it became really clear that everyone was attracted to one common denominator between each piece - it was just a little different from the mass produced contemporary alternatives out there. My twin sister and I founded the company with a pop-up shop (then called a trunk show) in my Mom's basement!
Did the attitude towards vintage change within the last years?
Over the last few years it became apparent to me that the vintage market has an imperative to change pretty dramatically with time. As decades pass, there are fundamental limitations on how much "true vintage" we can possibly find, like items from the 50s-70s. The result is that popular demand for vintage is forced to evolve toward styles from more recent years. So while I used to worry about supply of vintage running out, I don't anymore after seeing how drastically the appetite for vintage has shifted in focus towards Y2K fashion. I'm fairly confident that over time, popular demand will continue to evolve towards clothing that is actually possible to obtain, like those from the early 2000s.
What is your favorite piece you have ever sold?
I started reworking clothing in my dorm room in college in the earliest stages of the business. I had time to do it and it was fun! I have really specific, clear memories of beaded and sequin pieces I cut up and put back together with vibrant wools and poly pieces from the 70s. It was always fun and gratifying to watch someone find the beauty in a truly one-of-a-kind piece that I hand-stitched together.
FURTHER READING
Our editors have selected their five favorite vintage boutiques in Paris for you. We have visited all of them, from the Marais to Pigalle, and talked to each store’s founder to tell you their stories.