As spring approaches and the streets of New York begin to feel more lively, what sounds better than venturing out to the East Village to check out local thrift stores and support small local businesses? New York City has some of the best shops for thrifting and New School students are particularly lucky based on the university’s proximity to some of those shops. The downtown thrift scene is where you want to be.

Tucked away in the heart of the East Village on East 11th Street between First and Second Avenues, are two of the cutest thrift stores. The first, a small, woman-run vintage thrift store named Vintage Reserve at 328 E. 11th St., is secluded but not unnoticeable. Elizabeth Caprio opened the store a year ago during the pandemic. She was inspired by her mother, who had also owned a vintage store when she was growing up. Some of the items you will find at Vintage Reserve include a wide selection of vintage Levi’s jeans, unique jackets and coats and some spicy tops. The items prices range from $10 to $200; but the more pricey items are definitely a lifetime investment. 

Caprio chooses pieces aimed at pleasing everybody’s tastes.

“I listen to what my customers are looking for. I watch what they wear,” she said. “I have to remember that when I am shopping for my store, that I am shopping for everyone and all of their different styles.”

Caprio also pays close attention to how she prices her items. Because of her store’s location, she understands that most of her customers are college students, so she aims to make her store affordable for them — not to mention, she offers a student discount.

Continue your thrifting adventure at Tokyo Joe, only a few doors down from Vintage Reserve. This thrift store, located at 334 E. 11th St., is a bit more pricey than its neighbor, with items ranging from $50 to upward of $400, but it’s a true gem nonetheless. Tokyo Joe has been around since 1994 and is owned by a Japanese immigrant woman who is passionate about vintage designer items. Store manager Jose Ignacio and has been running this adorable shop for around two years. Tokyo Joe specializes in vintage designer items — hence the spike in pricing.

“We mostly curate vintage and unique looking pieces. Our aesthetic is about diversity,” Ignacio said. “We aim to provide a variety of archival pieces from well-known designers while also acknowledging that it is second-hand so I believe we price our items in a fair way that satisfies our customers.”

Some of the pieces that you will find at Tokyo Joe include archival Dior, Chanel handbags, Burberry coats, Louis Vuitton purses and belts, beautiful vintage scarves and a plethora of other high end unique pieces.

Thrift-store customers feel a different kind of joy when they find a piece that speaks to them, knowing that it used to belong to someone else previously.

“Not only does thrifting mean supporting sustainable fashion but it is also a great way to minimize your carbon footprint and maximize garments that already exist,” Dani Meyler, a first-year in the Journalism and Design program at Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts said. “I’d rather purchase a piece of clothing for a fair price that I know will last me longer than purchase cheap clothes that won’t — especially if it is from a fast fashion brand.”

Giving clothing items a second home feels good — mainly because we live in a time where repurposing and being conscious about material goods is relevant and a common topic of discussion.