Go thrifting at these secondhand stores
Six shop recommendations for all your thrifting and vintage dreams and desires.
By REGAN MADING
Stores like ONE-OFF, Goodwill, Silverlake Flea Market, Los Feliz Flea Market, USC Vintage and Wasteland offer a variety of vintage collections. (Brittany Shaw / Daily Trojan)
As students begin to settle into the fall semester and get in the groove of classes, homework and social events, it’s important to find fun activities to de-stress during weekends and free afternoons. Thrifting and secondhand shopping have been on the rise in recent years as a way to sustainably pick up new pieces, and there is no better place to shop secondhand than the City of Angels.
The value of secondhand shopping is not only in having a new piece to hang in your tiny dorm room closet but also in knowing the item has a story.
People with lives before yours wore and loved that sweater, skirt, or pair of shoes. Shopping secondhand is good for the wallet and the planet, and nothing is more fun than scoring an awesome piece for an awesome price.
Whether you gravitate toward shopping sprees for archive designer gems or quick trips to the most convenient thrift stores, here are six secondhand shop recommendations that have something for everyone.
ONE-OFF Eclectic
ONE-OFF Eclectic is a curated vintage and thrift shop that carries a wide variety of pieces but mainly focuses on street-style archival finds. ONE-OFF Eclectic is a 12-minute drive from campus, so splitting that Lyft or Uber between four friends could make the journey cheap. You can also take bus line 38 to Broadway/Venice.
The storefront is in the heart of the Fashion District, so it’s easy to make a whole day out of the trip, hopping between shops. ONE-OFF Eclectic is great for when you are in the mood to find some sick vintage street style pieces, from brands like Ed Hardy or Harley-Davidson, as well as locally-crafted handmade finds. ONE-OFF Eclectic is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
Goodwill
Goodwill is a thrifting classic. It’s perfect for when you’re wanting to dig through the bins and racks for that one magical jackpot piece. Goodwill always has some great finds, from high-end brands to vintage relics. The store is also a great place to shop beyond just clothes — its shoe section, although sometimes a maze, often has some great on-trend kicks. It also has a furniture and home decor section that could be great for dorm or apartment decor (just make sure to wipe everything down).
The nearest Goodwill — on Figueroa and 28th Street, right by Spudnuts — is only a three-minute drive or a 11-minute walk from USC Village. It could be a great place to make a quick trip to when you’re looking for something specific or to have a shopping spree. Goodwill is open every day from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Goodwill, a thrifting classic, has a wide range of items such as clothing, shoes, furniture and home decor. The nearest Goodwill can be found on Figueroa and 28th Street. (Brittany Shaw / Daily Trojan)
Silverlake Flea Market
The Silverlake Flea Market is the perfect place for vintage finds of all kinds. From vendors with admirable vintage denim collections to people selling archive designer for way too cheap, the Silverlake Flea is the place to be when you’re looking for a new item that’ll spruce up your closet. It’s around 30-minute drive from campus.
With sellers like Closet Food LA, which sells vintage and streetwear items, or Retro & Groovy Vintage, selling curated secondhand items, you can’t go wrong at the Silverlake Flea. The Silverlake flea market is every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and every Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Los Feliz Flea Market
Although the Los Feliz Flea Market is a 20- to 30-minute drive away, if you get a group together, it can be super fun to spend the day strolling through the vendors, looking for everything from wall prints to handmade jewelry to crochet crop tops. The Los Feliz Flea has vendors of all kinds, such as food and dessert trucks or handmade jewelry artists and stylists. If you’re ready to curate your new persona, the Los Feliz Flea is the perfect place to fulfill all your shopping needs. It is open every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
USC Vintage
USC Vintage has loads of USC merch, like dorm decor, T-shirts, and hoodies — all with USC logos and emblems. USC Vintage has pop-up sales a few times each semester, usually on the Row, so it’s very accessible. These pop-ups are usually on Friday afternoons, so they are the perfect opportunity to shop around during a break between classes. USC Vintage is great for game-day finds and study-day loungewear. They also post items every day on their Instagram story, so if you need some merch, USC Vintage is the perfect place to look.
Wasteland
If you know anything about vintage or secondhand shopping in Los Angeles, then you know Wasteland. They are notorious for their perfectly curated haven of vintage and archive designer finds. Although Wasteland can be pricey, a little window shopping can’t hurt, and if you save up or are willing to splurge, you can find some pretty unique pieces that you’ll have forever. With three locations around L.A. in Melrose, Studio City, and Highland Park, Wasteland is a vintage icon you just can’t skip. Wasteland is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays.
