Get us in your inbox

Search
Artisan Cafe
Photograph: Yue

Best thrift stores and vintage shops in Hong Kong

Turn the clock back in style

Jenny Leung
Edited by
Jenny Leung
Written by
Time Out Hong Kong
Advertising

Finding a good place to thrift from in Hong Kong is no easy feat, with the strange imbalance between absurdly old and no longer fashionable items to high-end pieces that are barely considered vintage. To make your search a little easier, here's a list with some of our favourite lesser-known places to go thrifting for second-hand streetwear, reworked pieces, and genuine vintage clothing. 

RECOMMENDED: Prefer to shop in big snazzy shopping malls instead? Then you'll need our guide on the best shopping malls in Hong Kong.

Thrift stores and vintage shops in Hong Kong

  • Shopping
  • Causeway Bay

With the belief that sustainable fashion is a way of life, A break 93 actively encourages people to recycle their old clothing for reuse. The store itself, located in Causeway Bay, focuses on selling high-quality pre-owned clothing, while their online store offers a much wider variety of items to select from. Whether you're looking for secondhand skirts, hats, denim items or frilly vests, this is the place for you. 

  • Restaurants
  • Cafés
  • Central

Home to an impressive collection of vintage band tees, sweatshirts, vinyl records, posters, and Fire King mugs, Artisan Cafe is both a cafe and a vintage shop. Aside from serving up brews in colourful, retro Fire King mugs, the cafe also offers a drool-worthy food menu filled with pastries, bagels, toasties and sweet treats.

Advertising
  • Shopping
  • Sheung Wan

Located on the ground floor of a historic tong lau (tenement building), Dongpo HK is more than just a local neighbourhood tuck shop. Through its easily recognisable blue shutter gates, you’ll find a nostalgic selection of Hong Kong snacks and childhood toys, as well as various made-in-Hong-Kong items that range from artisanal ice cream to ceramic and jewellery pieces by local artists. There’s also an impressive array of antiques and vintage pieces from the 50s to 80s on display at the store, courtesy of shop owner Vincent’s own personal collection. Customers and passersby are welcome to step through and check out the rare vintage pieces or pull up a seat outside the store to simply bask in the ambience of the neighbourhood.

  • Shopping
  • Antiques
  • Kowloon Bay

Hidden inside an industrial building in Kowloon Bay, Douguya Hatcharea is a Japanese antique store that has everything from vintage furniture and ceramics to wooden antiques and trinkets. Apart from collecting antiques, shop owner Pete also collaborates with Japanese artists to turn old antique pieces into stunning artworks.

Advertising
  • Shopping
  • Tsuen Wan

Established in 2008, this eco-friendly store looks to reduce fashion waste by sourcing high-quality, second-hand clothing and fashion items through their consignment service. The store mainly looks for fashion pieces that are still on-trend, so whilst they may not stock vintage items exclusively, there is always an abundance of new items to sift through, from clothing and shoes to handbags and accessories. Their prices vary based on the quality of each item, but overall, it’s a relatively affordable place to shop. 

  • Shopping
  • Vintage shops
  • To Kwa Wan

Step into this hidden upstairs bookstore for some of the best vintage finds in town. Behind its easily recognisable blue shutter gates and under the bask of warm yellow lights, sits an impressive collection of limited edition books, vintage movie posters and newspaper amassed over the years in the surrounding Sheung Wan area. Here, you’ll also find random collections of stamps, old-school flyers and vintage typewriters place all over the shop. 

Advertising
  • Shopping
  • Vintage shops
  • Tsim Sha Tsui

It’s hard to miss the flashing pink neon sign attached to the front of Little Dot. Welcomed by vibrant red walls and colourful displays, you’ll walk into some serious retro vibes. Stocking clothing and items from the 50s to the 80s, you can find rare vintage shoes, hats, accessories, and even toys from days gone by. Follow their Facebook page and learn a few styling tips from the shops’ owner as she mixes and matches different clothes and other items from the shop.

  • Shopping
  • Boutiques
  • Causeway Bay

Hidden away down the busy streets of Causeway Bay, Luddite is one of the coolest vintage shops in town. The shop specialises in men's vintage clothing though it does carry a small but unique collection for the ladies.

Advertising
  • Shopping
  • Vintage shops
  • Sai Ying Pun

Mathei is a beautiful vintage shop that sits quietly along Eastern Street in Sai Ying Pun. Filled with all kinds of retro pieces from around the world such as Japan, Germany, France and more, the shop is basically a treasure trove waiting for antique lovers and vintage enthusiasts to dive in.

  • Shopping
  • Vintage shops
  • Fortress Hill

Made for those who love vintage fashion, this retail store offers garments in retro US style. The shop ensures the quality of their clothing by vetting each and every piece while offering one-of-a-kind pieces that many fashion-savvy shoppers will want to get their hands on. From leather jackets and denim shirts to patterned button-up shirts, you’ll be sure to find unique clothes to add to your wardrobe here.

Advertising
  • Shopping
  • Mong Kok

If you’re a fan of streetwear and oversized clothing, then you’re in luck. Retrostone offers endless stacks of t-shirts to browse through, from 80s band tees to psychedelic tops and graphic tees to oversized ones. Apart from the overwhelming amount of tops available, the store also has other items that capture the old Americana aesthetic of their stores, including posters, overalls, vests, 70s flannels, cowboy boots, and an insane amount of denim. 

  • Shopping
  • Vintage shops
  • Sheung Wan

Random yet full of surprises, Select 18 is one of Hong Kong’s best vintage dens, where you can sift through a range of olde tyme knick-knacks, furniture and jewellery. If you’re lucky, you may even come across some thrifty designer finds. With its carefully selected assortment of clothing and shoes, you never know what you might find here

Advertising
  • Shopping
  • Kowloon City

What started out as a grocery store in Macau and a street hawker near Kai Tak airport has evolved into a famous clothing store in Kowloon City. Tastefully decorated with bronze birdcages, white ruffled mirrors, a cosy sofa and antique décor – all giving it a homely feel – Seven Kee offers trendsetting outfits and vintage dresses which the owners have handpicked from all over the world.

  • Shopping
  • Vintage shops
  • Sheung Wan

If you’re on the hunt for vintage elegant pieces, look no further than Vintage 1961. The shop owner is a huge fan of the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s – hence the shop name – so don’t be surprised if you find most stuff at the store to be Audrey Hepburn inspired. There’s an assortment of European jewellery and accessories ranging from the 60s to 80s, such as earrings, brooches, handbags, some of which even dates back to the Victorian era but all beautiful and intricate. That’s not all, Vintage 1961 even does alterings too, feel free to bring in your recent findings to fit you perfectly. 

Advertising
  • Shopping
  • Mong Kok

If you’re looking for somewhere off-the-grid with quality items that aren’t outdated, look no further! Vintaholic 852 offers a wide range of streetwear choices and branded items at an affordable price – think Nike, Adidas, Champion, Polo Ralph Lauren, and many more. There is something for everyone at Vintaholic 852, whether you’re looking for feminine clothing or something oversized and distressed. 

  • Shopping
  • Vintage shops
  • Mong Kok

Hidden away in Mong Kok, White Whale Company sells a variety of vintage clothing and handmade leather goods. Walking into their store feels like going back in time, with the walls adorned with retro t-shirts, jackets, and accessories. The store also heavily advocates against fast fashion, selling a lot of pre-owned items too.

Recommended
    You may also like
    You may also like
    Advertising

    The best things in life are free.

    Get our free newsletter – it’s great.

    Loading animation
    Déjà vu! We already have this email. Try another?

    🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!

    Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!