Find Cool Y2K Fits at the Best Thrift Stores in NYC

Awoke Vintage trumpets itself as a “something-for-everyone” shop, and is especially great for hunting down that perfect pair of vintage jeans. Owner and Australia-native, Liz Power continues to grow her small secondhand empire, which now includes three Brooklyn locales, with one in Williamsburg (that has recently been expanded) and two in Greenpoint. Along with their expansive collection of denim, explore $5 and $10 discount tubs, under $25 racks, plus a seasonal range of clothing and accessories.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Beacon’s Closet is an institution within the industry and can easily be considered one of the pioneers of NYC’s current secondhand fashion scene. Best laid plan: prep for a long-haul scouring over the extensive selection of low-priced items ranging from button downs and jackets to jeans and dresses.

Since starting off as a vendor at the Hester Street Fair in the Lower East Side, Country Of has remained a reflection of owner Jonah Brown’s personal style. The quaint shop is known for its impressive collection of hand-selected and high-quality Made in USA vintage as well as Japanese and European designer pieces. On the racks, customers will peep brands like Levi’s, Comme des Garçons, and Jean Paul Gaultier.

Run by designer and fashion collector Dana Foley, this namesake store is a fixture within the downtown fashion scene. On a mission to help New Yorkers achieve that elusive glam tomboy vibe, the racks at Dana Foley spotlight a wide variety of vintage dresses, tops, skirts, and more, alongside original designs. For those who can’t make it into the store, snag statement pieces via the website.

Hand-sourced across Europe by owner Jarka, the carefully curated racks at Greenpoint’s Thrift Lab are a gold mine for seasonal essentials like leather jackets, blazers, button downs, denim, and more. One of the city’s best kept secrets, the quaint shop is located on its building’s fourth floor and is open on most Saturdays and Sundays. Check their IG page for weekly schedule updates, as well as upcoming clothing drops.

Finding this funky vintage oasis is half the adventure. Located on the second floor of an unassuming Chinatown mall called New York Mart, James Veloria welcomes guests with a playful interior decked out in metallic confetti drapes and a heart-shaped doorway. Operated by co-owners Collin James and Brandon Veloria, the store has become a not-so-hidden gem for one-of-a-kind pieces courtesy of trending posts about the shop plus an aesthetic IG page. The merchandise at James Veloria lives up to the online hype in part thanks to rare designer and archival finds, including pieces by Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier, Dior, and lots more.

Known for its celebrity clientele—including power-couple Rihanna and A$AP Rocky—Metropolis Vintage boasts a vast selection of ’90s nostalgia-dripped vintage t-shirts. First operating out of flea markets across the city in the ’80s, founder Richard Colligan’s concept rose to fame with the opening of his first brick-and-mortar in 1990. Now, in addition to stellar band tees (which are sectioned off similar to a record store—by genres, artists, and era), shoppers can explore loads of leather and letterman jackets, sports jerseys, and accessories.

Specializing in sportswear from the ’80s and ’90s, Mr. Throwback is a necessity for your thrift store carousel. Open Wednesday through Sunday, at Mr. Throwback you can pick up certifiably cool merch and memorabilia of the most popular NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, and NCAA teams—with an emphasis on beloved local teams like the Knicks, Rangers, and Jets.

Rogue opened its doors in 2021 and since then has carved out its rightful place within the competitive NYC vintage scene. With a steady flow of business thanks to social media influencers and young clothing designers, there are plenty of fashion aesthetics to play around with here. From baby tees and feather boas to knit sweaters and mini skirts, owner Emma Rogue locally sources most of the one-of-a-kind goods from around New York State.

Commanding an avid fanbase, the East Village hotspot SLCT Stock NYC flaunts an expansive selection of tshirts, outerwear, hats, and more. First launched in Indiana in 2018 by owner Nick Ayala, the company now operates an outpost in Boulder, as well as the NYC locale. For first timers, we suggest dropping by the store for the monthly $5 sale (the next one is slated for Saturday, February 25) and always keeping an eye on the store’s IG story for secondhand gems that are fleetingly up for grabs.

Tokio7 has gained a reputation across all five boroughs as a stellar consignment store packed full of secondhand garments from Japanese designers, big names like Versace and Fendi, and NYC-based independent brands. Since opening in the late ’90s, owner and Japan-native, Makoto Watanabe, has maintained the store’s influx of business primarily by word of mouth. In addition to in-store shopping, customers can check out Tokio7’s inventory online via the website as well as through posts on their IG.

With a name that combines the words trendy and vintage, that’s exactly what you’ll find at Trintage. The brainchild of owner Bryd, the Central Harlem store prides itself on an eclectic and reasonably priced mix of secondhand dresses, puffers, jewelry, sneakers, and much more.