The best thrift stores in New York

After graduating from NYU in 2006, Milwaukee native Kate Goldwater opened this funky shop, featuring a curated selection of vintage and thrift clothing and accessories that are easy on the eyes and the wallet. Most pieces inside are $30 or less and her finds are perfectly on-trend, which means you’ll find plenty of ’80s and ’90s pieces right now.

This buy/sell/trade store has become a household name in the city since establishing outposts in Park Slope and Greenwich Village, Greenpoint and Bushwick. Sifting through the many racks of gently used clothing for true finds can require a heck of a lot of patience, but the effort is well worth it for those on a budget. You might find a pair of Manolo Blahnik peep-toe pumps or a Patrizia Pepe china silk tunic for under $50 or a Club Monaco denim jacket and Sperry Top-Siders for a couple of tenners. Looking to sell your own cast-offs? Clean, gently-used duds are inspected on the spot for their resale value. You’ll receive either a percentage of the resale value in cash or store credit to put toward your next purchase.

Thrift hounds, get ready to rifle: This consignment chain, which buys, sells and trades its inventory directly with customers carries a mix of designer-label and vintage clothing, shoes, and accessories, priced much lower than retail cost. How about a pair of Tory Burch midthigh leather-and-tweed boots), a Marc Jacobs mustard-yellow purse with gold studs, or a Burberry men’s wool coat with resin toggle closures? Make sure to hit up any of the five Buffalo Exchange locations in the city on Earth Day when the brand hosts its annual $1 sale. Yes, you read that right—select styles go for a buck apiece. 

The first floor of this respected thrift shop is devoted to jewelry cases, vintage furniture, and such curios as an old cash register and used sewing machine (both in working order). Head to the clean basement room to scour the racks for coats, skirts and jeans, priced to move. Or plop down on a cushioned bench to try on the shoes, organized on red bookshelves. The well-edited stock is in impeccable condition and sourced solely by donation—Cure donates all its proceeds to the Diabetes Research Institute. Check back twice a year for the shop’s whatever-you-can-fit-in-this-bag-that-costs-just-$15 sales.

This clothing exchange with locations in Flatiron and Williamsburg is filled to the brim with slightly worn sartorial treasures. Northern California’s Crossroads—already a West Coast mainstay—packed its first NYC shop with affordable clothing, shoes and accessories, not to mention some serious designer-label scores. Merchandise turns over fast, but scour the no-frills space and you’ll find some good deals such as ladies’ suede chunky platform Jeffrey Campbell boots and men’s YSL leather sneakers. In the clothing department, you might stumble upon a guy’s sleek zippered G-Star jacket or a Marc by Marc Jacobs smock dress with leather detailing. You can also unload your own gently worn items.

This thrift shop chain offers on-trend, funky finds and features vintage, new apparel, shoes, accessories and home goods, and it's organized with spaced-out, clearly labeled racks. The women’s section is filled with prom dresses, blazers, designer bags and tops. The housewares selection has a kitschy assortment of everything from blue cat-shaped salt-and-pepper shakers to standard Keurig coffeemakers.

It's cool to donate your old duds and furniture to Housing Works, so the shelter-oriented charity's thrift stores are among the city's best. The prices aren't the lowest, but the stock is quality. If you're lucky, you can score designer pieces (in clothes and furnishings) you'd never be able to afford new. You just have to do a little rummaging.

This pair of vintage shops in Brooklyn hawks affordable furniture, dishes, books, art, clothing and accessories—if you have the time to look. Sift through more than 5,000 square feet of merch to uncover treasures. Highlights include a slate of cheap vinyl records and a mezzanine full of artwork, in case you want to vamp up your walls.

Dig and ye shall find: The booty at this crazy-packed thrift shop includes women’s jeans, tops, skirts, shoes and dresses, plus a half floor’s worth of menswear. Sniff out deals like a pair of Chanel flats and a sequined dress by Alice + Olivia . Don’t miss the neatly arranged costume jewelry at the front counter, or handsome selection of men’s vintage satin bow ties.

There’s a rotating mix of astoundingly well-preserved designer and non-vintage clothing here, as well as one-of-a-kind housewares, shoes and accessories. We’ve found vintage Yves Saint Laurent blouses, striped skinny ties for and a pair of classic Salvatore Ferragamo pumps with bows on them. Pretty much everything is a find, but you still get that thrill-of-the-hunt feeling.

Guilt-free shopping surfaces with this nonprofit thrift shop’s second store (the original is in Gramercy). Both donate all proceeds to the United Jewish Council of the East Side, which works to preserve the Lower East Side community. Sift through men’s and women’s clothing and browse accessories displayed in an original Tiffany jewelry case. Finds include Versace and Pucci neckties, Fendi leather handbags and Givenchy platforms. The threads pack the same designer punch, with items like 1990s Betsey Johnson grunge dresses, an Etro military jacket and a vintage Nick Cave concert tee.