Re-Work it, Girl!

Re-Work it, Girl!

Five great places to shop vintage in the city

The face of vintage shopping has changed in Toronto. No longer looked upon as ‘used’ or ‘second hand’, many recessionista’s are opting to shop at their local thrift stores and deeming the goods as ‘re-worked’, ‘renewed’, and ‘recycled’. Vintage clothing offers you the chance to find unique pieces that are not mass produced, and to enhance your wardrobe without having to postpone your rent. Check out these five great locations to shop vintage in the city: you won’t be disappointed!

69 Vintage + Buy the Pound

1234 Bloor Street West

www.69vintage.com

69 Vintage is a whole new thrifting experience with locations at 1234 Bloor Street West and 1100 Queen West. Their large mirrors, great lighting, and spacious store make the task of shopping vintage seem less daunting than usual The sales advisors at both locations offer exceptional customer service and will even help you if you are in search of a specific piece (which doesn’t happen at most other vintage shops). Their Bloor West location boasts a great deal since everything is $15 per pound! This makes prices incredibly reasonable. Legend has it that some lucky thrifter’s have even bought bicycles for less than $30! Fact: 69 Vintage also carries small runs of exclusive, one of a kind, local designer jewelry and accessories.

Vintage Nouveau

394 Queen Street West

Vintage Nouveau, a large warehouse space on Queen just west of Spadina, doesn’t seem extravagant at first glance. Their simple set up, with no great visual displays or dazzling interiors, is a bit industrial and mundane. However, upon closer inspection, hundreds of clothing items make up for the boring store front. Their vintage pieces are organized and the spacious warehouse gives you room o move around and try things on. Most pieces, shoes, blazers and bags included, fall below the $40 mark and their thorough selection will not disappoint. Positive: they support neighboring charities like the daily bread food bank and local schools!

Vintage Depot

70 Kensington Avenue

Vintage Depot offers an exquisite collection of merchandise that would both surprise any avid thrift-shopper and delight those who are new to the concept. Pieces you would normally spend hours looking for, amongst racks and racks of clothing, anywhere else seem to magically float upon their hangers with a glimmer of hope that reminds us that shopping vintage doesn’t always have to be like a scavenger hunt. Fifty per cent of the items at Vintage Depot are fabulous finds, in trend, and easy to spot. Their prices are reasonable, about $10 for a cute beaded tunic and $25 for a great tweed blazer, and they are one of the few spots in Kensington Market who have not yet raised prices due to the popularity of ‘thrift’ becoming ‘vintage’. Hint: pay in cash- it’ll cost you less than any other method.

Common Sort

804 Queen Street East

Common Sort is an interesting thrift store with a less-than common concept. They offer a buy, sell, trade environment where customers can trade in their gently used brand name clothing for a credit to purchase new items. The merchandise buyers on duty will asses your clothing, choose what they wish to buy from you, price them accordingly, and give you 50% of that in a credit to be used within the store! Or, if you don’t want the store credit, they can hand over 25% of the total in cash on the spot. The great thing about Common Sort is their merchandise selection. Every piece is looked over by the merchandise buyers, as well as the owner Nina B. herself, so you know you are getting quality picks. It is an innovative, new spin on an old favourite.

Extoggery

1640 Avenue Road

http://www.extoggery.com/

Extoggery is one of Canada’s prime upscale consignment stores, selling clothing brands such as Club Monaco, Banana Republic, Hugo Boss, Gucci and Prada. It’s a true label-lover’s paradise and perfect for those looking to invest in great branded pieces without spending a fortune. The store’s merchandise is always organized by type and colour, making it easy to shop and less of a headache than other consignment stores. None of the items are more than two years old and the prices are usually more than 50% off of the original retail price! Tip: visit often as new items are sold to the store every day- it’s a first come, first gal gets the cute D&G shoes basis.

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