Boston thrift shop guide

Up until now, thrifting has been mostly practiced for the sole purpose of affordable clothing, but recently it has turned into a form of self-expression curated to your aesthetic. If you live in Boston and are into the fashion scene, I highly recommend these stores and organizations to experiment or play with your style, so sit back, enjoy, and add these to your future visited locations!

I. Diversity Consignment 

 Diversity Consignment is located in Jamaica Plain, with easy commute as it is a 10-minute walk and quick bus ride from Forest Hills station, with store hours from 12-7 p.m. They have a wide selection of clothes described as modern but they also have vintage pieces if you look thoroughly. Great environment with a variety of vinyl selections as well as a gaming room in the back to enjoy your time as you shop. They are close to the community, including art from local artists and hosting runway shows and photoshoots for upcoming models to gain experience. 

 II. Urban Renewals 

Urban Renewals is a thrift store located at 630 American Legion Hwy,  Roslindale. Even though it is near Forest  Hills station, it is still a lengthy commute, unless you own a car because it is essentially on a highway.  They are open from 9 am to  6 pm Monday through Saturday and 12 pm to 5 pm on Sundays. This 2nd hand and sustainable shop has so many different styles and an abundance of clothes,  shoes, decor, and toys. The store is extremely affordable with prices ranging from a dollar to 30 dollars which is the highest I have personally seen myself, clothes are assorted by color, and they only accept cash.

Urban Renewals Styled On 

This is a personal outfit of mine I styled with clothes I purchased at Urban Renewals. The pants are perfect for summer and are one of my favorite pieces in my closet because they are so flowy, the flares make them unique and the material is soft and not transparent.  The pants cost me about 6 dollars, which was such a steal. The material of the the cardigan is thick and durable, I have owned it for about 3 years now and it looks as good as new. I purchased this for about 7 dollars. The simplicity of the color and design allows it to be an everyday piece because it can be styled with anything.  

 Urban Renewals Interior  

The color-coded clothes and signs allow customers to efficiently determine what type of clothing they are looking for and if they desire a specific color, it is an immediate find with a variety of styles. It is clean and equipped with great service and daily discounts.  

III. Select Markets  

This is not a physical thrift store, but an organization that establishes vintage pop-up markets with vendors around the Boston area, who are majority college students interested in fashion, allowing for a variety of styles and an overall amazing environment that allows for networking. I  recommend attending their upcoming events. 

Personal Experience at their Valentine Pop-up and Clothing Swap

The market was located at The Foundry up in Cambridge within a short walk of Kendall/MIT station. As soon as I entered, there were endless racks of vintage clothing, there was a DJ playing music and the people were so immersed in the music while shopping and conversing.

As I shopped, I saw a variety of vendors and creatives that ranged from onsite alterations, to live screen painting and non-permanent tattoos. There was a room for trading clothes where you could bring personal items and trade for other pieces of clothing. The networking and hospitality provided were crucial and supportive to local artists and models trying to enter the industry. Check out this video to have a peek at what I saw that day!

Digitals At The Market!! 

I went around taking pictures of people’s outfits and the market itself on my digital camera. They were so kind and made conversation their interests as we exchanged socials. The picture to the right is one of the vendors named Greed Atelier doing live screen painting on shirts with various requested designs from customers on the spot. This interactive marketing allowed them to not only personally interact with buyers but showcase something distinct from other vendors and make a profit.

IV. Vivant Vintage

Vivant Vintage is a thrift store located at 318 Lincoln St, Allston with everyday hours of 11-6 pm and on Fridays 11 to 12 am. This store has everything, their selection is so wide that it would take a few days to get through it all. Ranging from sterling silver jewelry to the largest y2k baggy jean collection in any Boston thrift store I’ve been to. Their prices are on the pricey side as a result of it being true vintage. The store itself is aesthetically pleasing with vibrant colors all around making your experience more memorable. 

Inside Vivant  

The curated Y2K jean collection I was previously talking about is pictured on the right. The denim wall is even more outstretched than shown, taking up the majority of the section. The pants range from Levis to True Religion in a variety of sizes. There are often discounts! 

Vivant Baby!

Stop by the shop and you might get a chance to see Julian, the son of the founders of Viviant, he is truly a cutie!

V. Found

Found is a newer vintage store open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays at 5 Columbia St. Central Square, Cambridge. This store has a cozy environment with dimmed

lights and music being played as you shop, including 3 consecutive chains of Found stores right next to each other consisting of a specific era or style. As a result of this being vintage, the price is a little more on the expensive side but completely worth it for the quality of clothes you acquire. The employers are allowed to sell their clothes within the store on different racks and their prices can bargained.

These pictures do not do the environment of Found justice, but these are just some of the gorgeous pieces I found (no pun intended) within seconds of entering the store. 

The jacket pictured was around 130 dollars but the quality was insanely soft and the interior was made to keep you warm. They also have a CD collection as well as vinyls and posters.