Resale/Thrift Stores in L.A. (San Diego, Long Beach: 2011, apartment, hotel)

[TootsieWootsie]

Does anyone have an idea exactly how many resale/thrift stores are in L.A.?
I am a junker from waaay back and also collect antiques. Seems to me that L.A. would be the ideal place to visit to do this. Any opinions?
Where can you purchase the highest quality women's clothing--at thrift store prices, of course, in L.A.?

[sponger42]

Buffalo Exchange and similiar stores. Check on Melrose. There's a couple of vintage/exchanges with really great stuff. Thrift stores are tougher because the quality is much lower and the prices are only a few bucks less.

A better spot is actually Hillcrest in San Diego. Check the exchanges and thrift stores there. Actually, that's better for men's fashion for obvious reasons.

[Sorcerer68]

Rose Bowl Swap Meet has no equal. It's like 1000 good junk stores poured into one place. It's twice a month. PCC Flea market is awesome too, I tend to get better deals there but it's smaller. Long Beach has a great one too. Belmont Heights has great yard sales. I've had some good scores there. If you look along the eastern portions of Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset, you'll see many hole in the wall places with furniture, clothes and what not. Aardvarks is good for vintage. Fairfax has a bunch of good antique shops. Melrose has good vintage clothing stores but many have gone too upscale for my taste. For furniture, check the Craigslist free section. You won't believe what people give away for free here...and what's at the edge of the curb at the end of the month when people are moving. I used to have an antique and vintage goods store in Old Pasadena and you wouldn't believe what people throw out. I made money from many of them. I love junque. I haven't bought any new furniture in over a decade. My last piece of free furniture was a 20's deco Secretary someone put to the curb. It needs a little love, I look forward to doing it. The piece before was a Spanish Revival chair someone on my block put out on trash day. It looks like it should be in the Roosevelt Hotel.

[TootsieWootsie]

I've done homework on this a few times, but it seems like L.A. has more thrift and resale shops than anywhere else in the country by far. Chicago is good, but L.A. looks mindblowingly wonderful for thrift/resale. Thanks for the direction. I plan to bang out that area soon....fun!

[Sorcerer68]

There's a thrift store on Glenoaks in Burbank/Glendale border just west of the Glendale DMV on the other side of the street (name escapes me, it's 3 letters) and I've had colossal finds there.

[TootsieWootsie]

If you remember any others, Sorcerer68, let me know...or if you remember the 3 initials. I am recording all these suggestions, so I appreciate everyone's help alot!

[Sorcerer68]

It's something like D.V.M. There's another one in Cypress Park right by Home Depot that's a huge warehouse...a dream come true. I have to remember the name of that one too. I'm going to both this week so stay tuned...

[Charles]

Originally Posted by TootsieWootsie

Does anyone have an idea exactly how many resale/thrift stores are in L.A.?
I am a junker from waaay back and also collect antiques. Seems to me that L.A. would be the ideal place to visit to do this. Any opinions?
Where can you purchase the highest quality women's clothing--at thrift store prices, of course, in L.A.?

Believe it or not, Canoga Park has a lot of thrift stores all within walking distance of each other:
thrift - Google Maps

[sponger42]

I used to live next to that part of Sherman Way. If you go there, be sure to visit Follow Your Heart. The cafe in the back has a great Spinach Lasagna.

The clothing there is bad, but I did find an ancient upright piano played so much the enamel had worn off all the keys. But it was perfectly tuned. That instrument had some soul! $300 and what a find! I only wish I had had room in my apartment for it. It was gone a week later.