Thrifting has risen in popularity over the last few years with many stores specializing in vintage clothing.
Second-hand clothes allow consumers to craft exciting new wardrobes with upcycled items, transforming one man’s trash into new treasure.
In the city of Long Beach, there are many stores for shoppers to choose from, and we have compiled a comprehensive guide to some of the best thrifting stores in the LBC.
Tattered
Tattered is a buy, sell and trade store that accepts pieces as young as two years old up to a decade old. They only welcome quality pieces that have not been refurbished and are sold in their original state.
This thrift store specializes in clothing from popular name brands such as Zara, Urban Outfitters and Nike. They also offer a wide selection of retro clothing from the 2000s for both men and women.
The store carries clothing ranging from shirts to jackets and shoes. For styles appealing to a younger audience, Tattered offers old sports jerseys, baggy jeans and trendy shoes from brands like Converse and Nike.
Store owner Leah Zahn said that early 2000s apparel has been peaking recently in the store, becoming a must buy for most customers.
“Low rise pants for women, cargo pants for men, oversized cropped tops for men, cartoon graphic, these are all early 2000s trends that are strong right now,” Zahn said.
Prices are a bit higher than their competitors ranging from $14 – $30 for shirts, but Zahn said the prices are due to the quality of the clothing.
“We have an assortment of pricing. It depends on the brand,” said Zahn.
The store is open every day from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is located at 5555 E Stearns St Suite 106, Long Beach, CA 90815.
Clark & Atherton Mercantile
This thrifting store is owned by Christian Outreach in Action, a Christian community that helps unhoused people in Long Beach with food and clothing distribution.
Susy DeLucca, store manager, said that anybody can donate clothes, and depending on the state of the clothes, the store donates them to unhoused people through community service.
Clark & Atherton Mercantile has vintage clothing that appeals to younger and older audiences, and also keeps jewelry items, houseware, furniture and home décor in stock.
The store’s strongest point is its price, selling women’s tops for as low as $1 and pants with equally low price tags.
Students from Long Beach State can also save some extra bucks by showing a student ID, with a 20% off sale for every purchase that they make in the store.
Clark & Atherton Mercantile is open every day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for Sundays, opening from 12 to 4 p.m. Clark & Atherton Mercantile is located at 772 Clark Ave, Long Beach, CA 90815.
Out of the Closet – Long Beach
Out of the Closet is a run of the mill community thrift store with clothes, appliances, accessories and apparel to shop, but with its own unique twist that sets it apart from other stores.
This store is also a clinic and pharmacy that provides free HIV and STD testing. Out of the Closet a worldwide AIDS organization that helps people with STDs.
Michael, group store manager, said that out of every dollar the store makes, 96 cents is donated to combat AIDS.
The store features lower prices compared to others, with stickers indicating sale items. A green sticker means 30% off, blue is 50% off and a red sticker signifies a dollar discount.
The most prominent styles of clothing at Out of the Closet are women’s vintage clothes like heels, dresses and skirts. For men, they have vintage shirts and casual suits.
Out of the Closet also has a points system for its customers where every dollar spent is a point that can be redeemed for future purchases.
The store is optimal for people who are trying to save some cash, as it has some of the best prices in the area.
Out of the Closet is open every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. apart from Sundays when they close at 6 p.m. The Long Beach location can be found at 3500 CA-1, Long Beach, CA 90804.
Thrifting has been huge on the campus lately as it’s very sustainable, environmentally friendly and brings a new taste to old fashion.
Yasmin Castillo, 24-year-old fashion designer major said that she thinks thrifting is popular with students because of affordability and rare finds.
“Just take your time when you’re thrifting. If you’re in kind of a hurry, you might miss a lot of cool stuff,” Castillo said.