The Best Thrift and Vintage Stores in Boston
Tired of spending your entire paycheck on expensive duds? Boston has a lot to offer to the avid shopper, but the best places to shop for consignment remain a mystery to many. Here’s a guide to finding whatever you need in the best thrift and vintage stores in Boston.
For Accessories:
Le Bon Marche
10 Arrow Street
Cambridge
“Chic recycled” is Le Bon Marche’s catch phrase and suits this store well. The owner is a jeweler by trade, as shown by her esthetically pleasing jewelry collection. Some of the top picks for accessories here include 1920’s vintage style retro necklaces and unique evening bags. While some of the clothes here are a bit, ahem, “old ladyfish”, it’s a gold mine for lovers of interesting and tasteful accessories. If you search the clothes on the racks carefully, you might find a gorgeous vintage number.
For Guys:
The Closet
175 Newbury Street
Boston
(617)536-1919
Thrift store shopping can be difficult for guys- many consignment boutiques have a lot less to offer in the men’s sections, and some are lacking altogether. The Closet is the hot spot for stylish men on a budget, featuring designers like Thomas Pink, Donna Karan, Izod, and Dolce & Gabbana. The shoes here are a main attraction for both guys and gals: they’re known for their Prada shoes and designer loafers.
For Designer Label Junkies:
Second Time Around
Boston location
176 Newbury Street
Boston
(617)247-3504
Cambridge location
8 Eliot Street
Cambridge
(617)491-7185
Can you say upscale? This boutique has the hottest of labels- Seven, Christian Dior, Chaiken, Diesel, Ferragamo and more. This isn’t the place to go if you’re looking for cheap, unique thrift store clothes- most of the items here still cost a good chunk of change. But here you can pay a lot of money for designer, instead of ridiculous money for designer. Sometimes A Second Time Around even shipments of brand new clothing from overstock at other boutiques. Some of the sexy highlights include a great purse collection, with both real and fake designer stuff, and a to die for shoe collection. This is a great store for practically new clothes- I would check out another store for vintage duds, though.
For Everything:
The Garment District
200 Broadway
Cambridge
(617)876-5230
The Garment District is the by far the best thrift store in Boston, offering a huge variety of everything! From sequined dresses to that perfect outfit for work, from hooker heels to that book you’ve been meaning to check out- the Garment District has it. The store itself is huge, with a seemingly endless number of packed rooms. The clothes range from unique and truly vintage to a huge selection of “normal”. There are clothes, shoes, books, cd’s, and more. There’s a small selection of new clothes by unknown designers, and a “buck a pound” section.
