THRIFT SHOPPING: ONE MAN'S TRASH IS ANOTHER MAN'S TREASURE“I'm gonna pop some tags Only got twenty dollars in my pocket I'm hunting, looking for a come-up This is fucking awesome I wear your granddad's clothes I look incredible I'm in this big ass coat From that thrift shop down the road” - Macklemore and Ryan Lewis San Francisco, the home base for “normcore”, is also the world headquarters for thrifters. It is the ultimate hunting ground for the buyers and sellers who are looking for resale shops bargains. Thrift shopping is a longstanding tradition in United States, especially in San Francisco, where you’ll find some of the best thrift stores and outlets in the country. People take advantage of some unique finds at a bargain. Buying the latest trend from a retail shop probably is the easiest option − but give yourself a chance to answer these questions about thrift shopping: How much can you save? How fresh can you look by not looking like anybody else? And how much more fun can you have by seeking cool unusual treats? Below is a list of San Francisco’s most stellar thrift, vintage and used clothing stores. Whether you are a new or connoisseur thrifter, there is always more sartorial savvy to explore in thrift culture. The lust for tarnished treasures, coupled with the thrill of the hunt – scoring someone else’s throwaway for a dime − is part of the adventure. S.F. is ripped with the coveted thrift store. However for the best luck, you’ll need to know where to go. From famous Mission bases to the Haight treasure racks, here are 10 thrift stores worth digging through: Community Thrift might not have the biggest clothing selection, but it has a great array of shoes, accessories, books, records, arts, electronics, CDs, and furniture. Every product is well-organized in the cool vibe interior; hunting for deals is part of the fun. The book section is a definite dream come true for book lovers; hundreds are organized by genres, sold for ultra cheap prices, starting at 50¢. They also sell vintage vinyl records for only 25¢ each. All of the items come from donations; that’s why the prices are reasonably cheap. The best part is: all of the revenue from purchases actually benefits local charities. The clothes range from rare vintage to modern retail, they are trendy and worth your time to browse. One thing missing from this store is the fitting room, so dress accordingly, and be prepared to try on clothes in the aisle. Keep in mind that every Monday, Community Thrift Store has a 50% off sale — just about as good as it gets as far as thrift stores in the city go. Community Thrift Store, 623 Valencia St; (415) 861-4910 communitythriftsf.org Hours: 10am – 6:30pm Goods by donation only Top find: Vintage red wool maxi winter coat, $18 Thrift Town is massive! It has a very broad selection of merchandise, from clothes to furniture. The treasure hunter definitely will love this store. The clothes are extremely well-organized based on categories and sizes. Make sure to check out the book and DVD selection; their stock can compete with small bookstores. They also have amazing furniture, much is vintage and in good condition. Parents will love this thrift shop because it offers many children clothes and toys. Thrift Town’s prices are way better than average thrift shops since all the stuff is donated. Even though their stock changes daily, the clothes are sort of outdated. You definitely will need time to browse the items one by one in order to find fashionable wear, which they do have. Get ready for your scavenger hunt adventure, if you decide to shop at this store. Thrift Town, 2101 Mission Street; (415) 861-1132 thrifttown.com Hours: 9am – 8pm Goods by donation only Top find: Vintage lace blouse, $3.99
Nestled amongst quaint boutiques in the Valencia neighborhood, Painted Bird is a cute little store with reasonable prices for vintage. It has a solid collection including antique outerwears, vintage dresses, denim essentials and cool t-shirts that definitely warrants a look. The boutique also sells beautiful antique looking jewelry. The selection is slightly limited due to the small size of the store, but they typically have at least one or two treasures just waiting to be found. The shop assistant is very friendly, and knowledgeable about items and sizes. Painted bird also buys from public. However, given the high quality of their goods on sale, don’t be surprised if they pass on your clothing. Painted Bird, 1360 Valencia Street, (415) 401-7027 shoppainted.com Hours: 12pm - 8pm Buy-Sell-Trade clothing: 30% cash or 50% trade Top find: Bohemian Necklace, $28
Only $38 for a Christian Dior blouse? It is true! Located on the famous thrift mecca, Haight Street, Wasteland is the place to go to when you want to get a good deal for gently-used designer brands. This store also has various unique vintage selections. You can score your favorite classic Chanel bags or Manolo Blahnik shoes here. Don’t forget to take a look at their wonderful shoe section; the footwear is in a good condition. Even though they are second-hand, the garments are very in the moment. Wasteland’s perfectly curated selection may inspire you to create your authentic style every time you shop. With it’s cozy wooden interior, Wasteland on Haight has a fresh, warm and unique feeling. However, they don’t separate the merchandise by size. The worst thing that you can do in a store like Wasteland is to be rushed: you need to make sure that you have at least 40 minutes to go through everything. This is the place for splurging on a signature piece. Your San Francisco thrifting experience wouldn’t be complete without a stop by Wasteland. Wasteland, 1660 Haight Street; (415) 863-3150 shopwasteland.com Hours: 11am – 8pm Buy-Sell-Trade clothing: 35% cash or 50% trade Top Find: Zara black leather ankle-boots, $38 Mission Thrift is not your typical thrift store. There are a lot of outrageous things here – costumes, wigs, and 80s galore. Granted, they don’t have high-end vintage, but you can get some good quality second-hand clothes here. This is also the place to go if you are looking to put together a unique costume, or the one-hit-wonder party gear. The thrift scene in the Mission is pretty crowded; the aisles are wide enough to fit only one person, and the single changing room often gets a line. Mission Thrift’s pricing is a little bit more than other stores, but if you have few extra bucks to spare, then it’s worth it. Mission Thrift, 2330 Mission Street; (415) 821-9560 Hours: 11am - 7pm Doesn’t buy from public. Clothing purchased from random sources Top find: Black lace mask, $5 Goodwill is stocked with color-coordinated clothes, and random items. You might get overwhelmed with the pile of outdated used clothes, but you can definitely find some great steals for next-to-nothing. How about a $7 Tommy Hilfiger coat? Goodwill maybe is not your best bet if you have a high-end designer taste, but it’s worth digging through because once in a while you will find a real gem. This is the correct thrift store for women who love to wear staple pieces. The book, electronic, art and furniture sections are also decent. Unlike the other thrift shops, Goodwill is always spacious so you can comfortably take your time browsing the stuff. Sort through every rack, ignore the sizes and flip through everything. Be sure to check out their other bigger stores in the Haight, SoMa, Filmore and Mission Street. And for fashionistas, go to Goodwill Boutique in West Portal for a more upscale thrift store. Goodwill, 822 Geary St; (415) 922-0405 sfgoodwill.org Hours: 9am- 8pm Goods by donation only Top find: Grey Warehouse winter jacket, $7.45 A favorite among students and locals alike, Buffalo Exchange is an explosion of youth and thrift soul. The selection is truly wallet-friendly, making it a must stop for the thrift shop fanatics. Most of the clothes are in sync with the retail current trend for everyday wear. Paying half price for H&M outfits? Why not! If you are looking for a fashion-forward everyday wear, this is definitely the thrift store for you. The staff members are friendly and fashion conscious, so they can be very helpful during your shopping experience. However, the store is not spacious, so you’d better plan your visit when it’s not a holiday season. If you are a vintage lover, check thevintagebuffalo.com; it’s where they primarily sell the rare vintage one of a kind piece. Buffalo Exchange also has another outlet on Valencia Street. Buffalo Exchange, 1555 Haight Street; (415) 431-7733 buffaloexchange.com Hours: 11am – 8pm Buy-Sell-Trade clothing: 30% cash or 50% trade Top find: H&M blue suede cardigan, $6.99 Smack in the middle of Valencia, Out of the Closet offers clothes for men and women at reasonable prices. You can get pretty good deals on the discounted items with colored tags. The apparel at this thrift store is less vintage and more mainstream. Don’t forget to scroll the menswear shirt rack! The selection varies by season, a surprising amount of GAP, Abercrombie & Fitch, NY & Co and other fast fashion bargains. Benefiting AIDS Healthcare foundation, you can also get free HIV testing plus free condoms from Out of The Closet. The place itself is clean and organized. You might as well visit their other stores on Folsom and Church Street. Out of The Closet, 1498 Polk Street; (415) 771-1503 outofthecloset.org Hours: 10am – 7pm Goods by donation only Top find: Banana Republic buttoned down men’s shirts, $17 If you are looking for well-constructed vintage, swing by Town School Clothes Closet for an eclectic collection of clothing and accessories. This store might be small, but it houses an excellent array of unique designer pieces. You can find a lot of vintage hats and purses here. The beautiful rustic housewares are carefully selected; they are pricey but perfect for distinctive artsy decorations. Town School Clothes Closet relies on high quality donations from the upper community. The purpose of this upscale retail shop is to aid the tuition assistance program at the Town School for Boys. This might not be the most favorite place for teenagers since the fashion styles tend to be for older generation. However, youngsters would still love the $1.75 t-shirt rack at the back of the store. Expect to pay a pretty penny, more than most thrift on the list, for the head-turning vintage designer wear. Town School Closed Closet, 1830 Polk Street; (415) 929-8019 townschoolclothescloset.org Goods by donation only Hours: Monday-Saturday 11am-6pm, Sunday 12pm- 5pm Top find: Issey Miyake leather top, $62.5 Crossroads Trading Co. is filled with the constantly changing in-style and on-trend fast fashion discards from retail brands such as Forever 21 and H&M. The chain second-hand stores are the best for you who want to buy the latest fashion for a cheaper price. The recycled fashion is gently used, the bags are fashionable, and the denim rack is a must see. Look at the top of the wall if you want to buy more expensive designer wear. The store also has the most up-to-date menswear selection. If you are in the mood for closet spring-cleaning, Crossroads is one of your best options to sell your apparel and accessories. You might want to check other Crossroads stores in the Fillmore, Market, Castro, and Irving Street for bigger selections; each filled with the clothes you want at prices you can’t resist.
Crossroads Trading Co. 1519 Haight Street; (415) 355-0555Hours: 11am-8pm crossroadstrading.com Buy-Sell-Trade clothing: 35% cash or 50% trade Top find: True Religion boyfriend jeans, $37
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