Last year we asked you for your fave shops in different categories so that we could uncover the TRUTH, congratulate great shops and hopefully discover a few secret shops we didn't know about. It's that time again.
Who is your top thrift pick? NYC is a mecca for thriftshops, but some are better than others...
Congratulations both to RePop and Housing Works! We are under no illusions here about one being better or worse than the other as they are so different. What is clear from this vote is that people love them both!

Housing Works
Goodwill
Salvation Army
Re-Pop
Ugly Luggage
Angel Street










I've had my best luck at the various locations of Housing Works.
Who is = who's
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/who's.html
I have had a lot of good luck at the Housing Works stores.
There was a Salvation Army in Hells Kitchen that many floors and always had tons of great furniture...but I haven't been there in YEARS. Anyone know if it's still there and full of treasures?
My big guilty pleasure...hitting the charity shops in areas like Greenwich, Boca, etc.
Housing Works on 17th St.....hands down
housing works thrift shops throughout new york city are the best i've ever found! without a doubt. there's seven of them now and they're all fantastic.
Housing Works Thrift Shop on 23rd street has by far the nicest furniture and clothing! They have such a great variety of merchandise and the managers are super cool and helpful!
Is this a trick question? Housing Works has the best Thift Stores in NYC by far! Merchandise is hip, stores are cool, prices are just right and the cause is awesome!
be pop in mountain view, california is great!
Housing Works, every single one of them! definitely the best thrift stores in NYC.
Explore your inner designer shopping whore at any Housing Works location in NYC...Salvation Armani at its best.
LOVE LOVE LOVE HOUSING WORKS THRIFT SHOP! ALL OF THEM HAVE SUCH DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES WITH THE BEST STUFF! MY WHOLE APARTMENT CAME FROM HOUSING WORKS!
Housing Works Thrift Shop on the corner of east 90th st. & 2nd ave. is an undiscovered gem of the neighborhood. they have the most amazing stuff...go now before everyone finds out about it!
While I agree that Housing Works is a thoughtful place to shop, the marketing done on this site (just check the minutes between postings) has me thinking someone at Housing Works decided to do so viral marketing this afternoon.
I've been there many a time and found absolute crap.
Housing Works Thrifts have unique merchandise, imaginative marketing campaigns and great bargains and sales. It's a fun place to get great deals
Housing Works Thrift Shops without a doubt! The clothes are great, the price is right and the furniture is awesome! Just look at the windows. That's where I shop for my designer outfits and accessories.
Goodwill on west 79th can yield treasures and close to housing works on 77th & columbus
I have luck at housing works at 17th street..nice jeans..
'marnie' has a few screws loose. anyone who thrift shops in Manhattan knows that the housing works shops are THE place to find the best stuff. i've lived in manhattan for over 10 years and have been to every thrift/vintage store in this town...find me another store that compares to them and then i'll change my mind!
I agree with Marnie. Saavy thrift shoppers would never divulge their secret spots! I certainly won't. Another red flag Marnie...where are all the usual posters? That said..Housing works supports a great cause and we love them.
as boring as it sounds, I agree with the Housing Works people above. I've bought Ted Baker stuff there, Marc Jacobs stuff there, a custom sideboard. ALL sorts of items you'd normally never find at a thrift shop.
Housing Works is always great.
The best Salvation Army is the one just outside the Steinway Street R/V/G station in Astoria.
In terms of "vintage", i like Re-Pop in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. mostly because it's in the neighborhood and the owner is cool, but also because the prices are right, they get very cool stuff, and the attitude is laid back and fun not "let's see how much i can bilk the trustafarians out of today..."
with Ugly Luggage in Williamsburg a second vintage choice.
for clothes, Beacon's Closet in Williamsburg, hands down, as well as the Astoria Sally Ann.
i never make it over there, but at work we get a lot of interesting stuff from Furniture Market, which is in the ditmars area of astoria. i also hear there's great thrifting in Staten Island, though i never get over there either.
Housing Works Thrift Store is my FAVORITE!!!
My vote is for Angel Street on 17th Street. They manage to keep their prices more true to "thrift" shopping and they don't save more of their best stuff for special events.
I find that Housing Works Thrift Stores are very hip and have almost everything. I don't mind spending a little more money for such a great cause. Go! Housing Works!
first of all, there are no good thrift shops in new york city because to many people here are knowledgeable about what is valuable so its hard to find any actual treasures without paying an arm and a leg or without having it picked right out from under you. that being said, im sure there are plenty of great thrift shops in the outer boroughs, but wherever they are, anyone who is smart will keep them secret for their own advantage. i know i certainly would! housing works are often too expensive for my taste, but they do have some great stuff if youre willing to pay for it. its not "thrifty" in the way most people envision thrift stores.(crowded, junky, and dusty) so thats why i'm sure their prices are higher than expected. you're paying for the atmosphere, etc. and i'm sure some people who would normally not set foot in a thrift store have ventured into them for that reason. the best store for vintage clothing is filthmart in the east village.
This is an absolute joke. Mookie and Marnie are correct. Guess it's better that Housing Work decided to do some viral marketing than to find my true favorites on this posting. Would hate to have to share all the finds with others.
Good luck Housing Works. You do a great service for the homeless, no issue about it. People should buy from your organization.
Just don't claim to be the "hottest" thrift shop. It's simply not the case.
Housing Works doesn't even hire salespeople (their staff are volunteers), so why do you think they'd pay a viral marketing firm to come bomb this site?
This is actually pretty funny. I work for Housing Works Thrift Shops, coordinating the volunteers for the six stores (not seven...yet AND our shop isn't on 77th and Col. it's between 74th and 75th, hopefully these aren't our volunteers/employees posting or Ive staffed our stores with a bunch of dippy people).
The opoponax is right; we would certainly not pay anyone to bomb this site (I only wish I had thought to tell our volunteers about the post). We have some pretty fanatical volunteers and I'm sure they would have been all over this opportunity. I recognize three people who posted (but we're big Apartment Therapy fans so I wouldn't be surprised if there are more volunteers in the mix).
Anyway, enough about Housing Works. I love our stores, but I'm interested in hearing about other places too! And for the record, I see nothing wrong with letting other people know about great shops. If you're a "true" thrift shopper you should know that things come and go. They only fit your apartment/body perfectly on occasion so what's the point of hording great shops? Chances are you'll get lucky every now and then, and then donate it back when you're ready for more. The more players the better, so tell me, please, please tell me!
At the risk of sounding hypocritical...I don't have a great shop to share. I tend to shop at ours, being there over 40 hours a week, and it doesn't hurt that I get a 25% discount! Now if I could only convince my boss to let us shop before the merch hit the floor, Housing Works would be perfect ;)
The one piece of advice I have is to hit charitable thrift shops who have outposts in expensive areas of the city, even if they don't look beautiful (i.e. Salvation Army, goodwill etc). Charities have the luxury of getting donated goods so they don't HAVE to jack prices up to cover the cost of acquiring items, and chances are the older wealthy locals cast off some vintage or designer furniture/housewares/clothing from decades past. Just don't be afraid to dig around a bit.
Oh, and Artie, you've obviously never been to the shops when I'm in them. Talk about hot.
I was just telling a friend yesterday that I haven't had much time for thrifting lately. Housing works is good, if a little overpriced, but the Sal. Army on Steinway in Queens is really amazing. Not only is it huge, but there is enough space between the rows to try stuff on. I also found great lamps there. That said, I mostly get clothes and housewares there, not furnishings.
REPOP kills it. I hit thrift stores all over the world from Savers in Honolulu to local haunts in Bavaria and have been shopping thrift/vintage since I was a wee lad. Hidden gems tucked in unexpected places; hard to find and well curated; makes shopping and spending money all too easy.
Michael -- Larger thrift-store organizations route donations to the store where they're most likely to get best price, so I wouldn't count on the outer boroughs for stylish bargains. Goodwill outright says they do this, but even a regional chain like Minneapolis' Ragstock openly does it.
The best store in the thrift chain for cool housewares will typically be the one that serves a neighborhood where *creative* types with small budgets are fixing up homes. Stuff donated at other locations will go to that store, as part of how thrifts prosper is to churn stock fast, luring weekly bargain-hunters.
I have to say Re*Pop is my favorite. I have been thrift-shopping in NYC for 9 years now, and they combine the best curated selection with really good prices.
I have had good experiences with HW and with Ugly Luggage, but Re*Pop is my absolute thrift store love of all loves!
Every time I go into Re*Pop, I'm always amazed. I've lived in NY my whole life and been to just about every thrift store in the city. This tiny shop, filled to the brim with beautful, eccentric, carefully chosen pieces, has won a place in my heart.
i'm definitely going to have to check Re-pop out!
Re-pop is the best!!! They have amazing finds and it's such a homey environment to shop and/or relax in. Walk on in and grab a vintage magazine to read...then buy that magazine (and other fantastic things) to support these two cuties in the neighborhood!
Re-pop is the only shop in this city as far as I'm concerned. Very eclectic, very vintage, and very Brooklyn. Plus the owners have a creative eye and easy way about them, helpful without being overbearing. I go there every chance I get!
Out of the Closet. It's on 81st between 2nd and 3rd.
I am a big fan of RePOP too, and not just because the guys who run it are extremely cute! I'd say it's more of a vintage gallery than a thrift shop simply because everything is displayed like a story, but for NYC their prices are beyond reasonable. Their vintage dress selection is amazing and i've never seen such great digs for under $80! I have purchased several 50's party dresses there for $45 in remarkable condition! And I got an original Euro Saarinen chair their with the stamp for only $300!!!!! In all of NY, however, i'd have to say Anything Goes on Staten Island is the best "thrift" shop, even though they are run by a totally creepy cult!!
RePop has the the most unique stuff. I can't wait to stop in some day.
i discovered RePOP a week before i moved out of Brooklyn and I'm so bummed. who else has such an extensive doll head collection?
i find the kitchenware and furniture at Vintage Thrift on Third Avenue between 24th & 25th Street is usually great. their windows are always fabulous too. def more expensive than your average thrift store, but not bad, and you are helping those in need. mind you, they are closed on Saturdays but open on Sunday.
RePop all the way. The selection and quality are great, and the pricing is very reasonable. Packed with treasures and personality, and the owners are really helpful. Lots of high-quality viltage furniture.
I visit Housing Works whenever I visit NYC. I visit their auction site in-between visits. Whenever I mention HW to a friend here in Washington DC, often they speak in glowing terms of something they purchased at HW & pine away for Housing Works to establish a string of stores here. There's nothing else like it.
Personally, I think that Housing Works;lk;sljlksjdsaldzdsg
Oops, sorry, I just fell asleep on my keyboard just thinking about Housing Works. Not that I haven't found some decent things there, but - RE-POP is not only the best vintage store in the city - it's the best in the country. End of story, buh-bye. It's not just a vintage store, it's a curated museum. And, it's true - the guys who run it are extremely cute.
Went to Re-Pop for the first time this weekend. The most charming shop with the nicest and cutest owner. I wouldn't exactly call it a Thrift--but the prices are totally reasonable. This is not a greedy guy by any stretch--in fact I am not sure he doesn't feel a deep pain every time one of his wonderful doll heads goes out the door.
It's Re-Pop for me too!! I travel all the way from Michigan to find treasures from this little hideaway. I was so impressed with the store and the selection; and the people who run it are very knowledgeable.
Re-Pop is great! The owners have a great eye for design and they've pulled together a wonderfully electic mix of great stuff at really reasonable prices!
Everyone is accusing Housing Works of some sort of fowl play here but they are all over the city and one little vintage store in brooklyn is somehow dominating this race?
Re-pop isnt even a thrift store, thrift stores operate on donations...
Something fishy is going on here..
I'd also like to say I am not sure how RePOP got nominated for this award, because we are only a "little shop in Brooklyn." As is Ugly Laundry and a host of others. However, I was surprised and flattered to discover that we have been noticed in the short time we have existed. I'd like to offer my gratitude to apartment therapy for nominating us and to those who have voted for us as I did not realize we had such a loyal following, especially considering the number of Housing Works there are in the city. I'd like to say to Keith that although we lovingly handpick most of the items in our shop a considerable portion of our collection IS actually donated. I'd also like to add that we are too young of a small business to apply a majority of our earnings toward a large charity, so in that regard Housing Works is quite amazing. Instead we have focused what we can on supporting artisans in Brooklyn by offering them a supportive place to display their creations.
Sorry Keith, but the public has spoken... get over it! It's just a silly poll, the world is not going to end if a certain store doesn't win. In my opinion, it's great that the little underdog store is capable of claiming the title. Housing Works is great and all, but they are obviously not everyone's favorite. Go on RePOP with your bad self!
is this the same keith, as in keith mancuso, who works for housing works and posted earlier for housing works "hands down" ?
Take a vacation to Miami. The thrift stores blow NYC's out of the water. There is a thrift store stip mall called Flamingo Gardens that is incredible and stays open night hours a few nights a week. I have scored big here over the years!
I find it funny how this came from a simple vote for your favorite thrift shop to a bunch of horrible comments.
I went to Re-pop just to see the cute owners and found some great things at reasonable prices.
I have also been to sevral HW Thrift stores and will be volunteering my time to the opening of the new store in Brooklyn.
I don't thrift that often but I am sure that anyone who is trashin either location is friendly with that place. I like them both and now that I know that HW uses thier money to provided services and housing for People living with HIV/AIDS they will have me as a customer and I will just buy things from Re-op to see the cute owners!
Chaya,
Shut the fuck up bitch !! You mad 'cause you don't have any talent as a writer
Housingworks is such a cliche in NYC.
They are begining to show up on every block just like Benetton did in the 80's.
There is nothing fresh or excieting about their concept.
The staff always seems to be uninformed and angry!
Angel Street on 17th Street in Chelsea is good.
The shop always appears new, different and interesting, on every visit.
The pricing at Angel Street seems to be more than fair.
I have found that the staff is always pleasant, happy and informed about the merchandise that is for sale.
The manager is a hottie for an older guy and seems to have a good knowledge about the antiques.
I would date him in a second but I've been told that he is married.
Does anyone know?
In any case Angel Street is the kind of shop that makes NYC unique and orginal.
If you want to shop at the retail chain shops, go to the mall.
Sam