The Unofficial Guide to Thrifting Near BHSEC

Jayna Rohslau, ‘22

    As school reopens in October, BHSEC students must now face the troubling, age-old dilemma of: what am I supposed to wear to class? While sweatpants and sweaty shirts were sufficient for online classes, now is the time to dress to impress your friends, your enemies, and the grand total of two guys who are in your in-person classes.  But where are you supposed to get clothes if you’re looking for something unique, something old, or something that won’t drain your bank account? The answer, my friends, is thrift shopping.  I went to five of the closest thrift stores near BHSEC, and reviewed them in terms of quality, price, and how hard it was to walk up their stairs.  Happy bargain-hunting!

Monk Thrift Shop

97 E 3rd Street

    This cluttered spot looks like a hoarder’s dream, stuffed with clothes practically to the point of combustion.  If you’re looking for a place to hide from the cops, this store would also be ideal as you could bury yourself behind a rack and no one would ever find you.  The quality of the clothes, unfortunately, is a mixed bag.  I found some H&M jeans for $9 that lasted two years, and a Miss Sixty top for $3, so you can find some decent stuff, but don’t go in with great expectations.  Also, the owner likes to yell at people, so don’t take too long in the fitting room.

Distance from BHSEC: 18 minute walk

Quality: 2/5

Price: $

Tokio 7

83 E 7th Street

    I don’t know if you’re a celebrity or filthy rich, but if you identify as either you will love this place.  Frequented by the likes of Chloe Sevigny, Vogue editors, and the stylist for Beyonce’s sister, this thrift store is so fancy it’s not even a thrift store: it’s vintage.  The prices are also relatively affordable for designer pieces that flaunt names like Prada, Gucci, Saint Laurent and Chanel.  However, if you are not materially blessed, it’s still fun to browse. I like to wander around here, stroking the fabrics and marvelling that I live in the same city as people from Vogue.

Distance from BHSEC: 22 minute walk

Quality: 5/5

Price: $$$

East Village Thrift Shop

186 2nd Ave

    While it may seem small and insignificant from the outside, there is actually an impressive number of clothes stuffed into this store. There is a nice variety of name brand clothes (think Zara and Urban Outfitters) scattered into the mix of clothing brands you’ve never heard of before.  Also be sure to check out the jewelry, as you may find a beautiful necklace or pin.  Thanks to East Village Thrift Shop, I can officially start my mission of bringing the brooch back.  My only concern for this store is the stairs, as when I was waiting in line to pay, a man tripped over them and hit me in the face with his elbow.

Distance from BHSEC: 28 minute walk, 22 minutes via M14D

Quality: 4/5

Price: $

Ease of Stair Use: 0/5

L Train Vintage

204 1st Avenue

    If you want to fit in at BHSEC, I know just the place for you.  L Train has everything a teenager could want: sweaters so baggy they could theoretically double as maternity wear, flannels, and even a whole section dedicated to camo jackets so you can pretend you’re actually in the military.  You know what all the kids are wearing. I swear to god everyone at BHSEC shops here, and for good reason: the clothes are cheap, casual, and make you look very 90s/Y2k minus the worst mistakes of both eras.

Distance from BHSEC: 26 minute walk, 21 minutes via M14D

Quality: 4/5

Price: $

Cure Thrift Shop

111 E 12th St

    I was prepared to like this place a lot, as upon entering I immediately fell in love with a pair of earrings that looked like little sriracha bottles.  Imagine my surprise when I found out the earrings were $65.  I also admired this amazing patchwork fur jacket which actually ended up being $450, and it’s not like it was from a well-known brand.  The aesthetic of the store is cool, making  it fun to browse (they also have unique furniture, household items, and records in addition to clothes).   They also support diabetes research which is neat. The prices just made me really mad; I wanted those earrings.  Also, the stairs had a psychedelic pattern that made my friend stumble. I guess you could say she had a bad trip.

Distance from BHSEC: 33 minute walk, 28 minutes via M14D

Quality: 5/5

Price: $$$(!!!)

Ease of Stair Use: 2/5