4 NOLA Secondhand Stores You Didn’t Know You Needed
Funky Monkey
Address: 3127 Magazine St.
Price: $$
Features: Curated selection of denim, band t-shirts, printed dresses, and pants
Come Here For: Statement pieces, Halloween costumes, and mardi gras
As you walk through the doors of Funky Monkey you’ll be confronted with bright colors, daring prints, and unique one-of-a-kind pieces. The majority of the pieces you find here are date back from the 1960s to the 1990s. However, unlike the rest of the vintage and thrift stores mentioned in this article, Funky Monkey also has pieces, specifically women’s dresses, and tops, that are brand new and adhere to the trendier times of today. This is great as it offers a range of sizes as opposed to their unique vintage pieces. In terms of the women’s product assortment, there is a multitude of vintage dresses and tops. They offer a wide array of dresses, however, if you are specifically looking for floral dresses or ones with a transparent overlay, this is your place! In terms of vintage tops, they range from tank tops and crop tops to t-shirts and sweaters. One of my favorite women’s pieces was a chunky oversized sweater reminiscent of the ’80s. The sweaters we found were true vintage pieces composed of heavy material and worn in just the right amount. Although their tops and dresses are great, my absolute favorite section in the women’s arena was their pants. A few key pieces here were Ralph Lauren cut-off denim shorts, Vintage Levi 500’s, and a pair of funky denim pants with a print similar to that of House of Sunny. The Majority of the men’s section is composed of t-shirts, specifically, band t-shirts. If you’re a fan of Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones, or Led Zepplin, you’re guaranteed to find your perfect band tee. Additionally, the men’s section had a fantastic selection of denim jackets and vests. Many of the vests had an interior faux fur lining, and the denim jacket selection had every hue of blue imaginable. One accessory that stood out for the men was their selection of hats, specifically snap-backs. These hats were vintage (sports, colleges ???) and were fairly well-priced falling around (24?). The final area of Funky Monkey which everyone should check out is their Mardi Gras / Halloween costume section. In the very back part of the women’s section just before the dressing rooms, there is a small room dedicated to mardi gras attire. Here you can find be-dazzled bustier tops, feather skirts, and beaded jumpsuits. Additionally, (right now) in the very front of the store there is a section specifically dedicated to Halloween costumes. These costumes are all 100% new in their original packaging. If you happen to be on the prowl for a hippie, bunny, or BLANK costume, make sure you check out Funky Monkey soon.
Glue
Address: 8206 Oak St.
Price: $-$$
Features: Denim, outwear, shoes, slip dresses, free GWP(gift with purchase) over $50
Come Here For: Unique and truly vintage finds
As opposed to Funky Monkey and Swap, Glue is less curated but has an amazing selection of pieces. For Tulane and Loyola students this is a great thrifting option if you don’t own a car as it’s just a short walk from campus. Here, you can find a ton of denim, slip dresses, unique outwear, and a wide assortment of men’s and women’s shoes. Starting off with denim, the women’s jeans selection is unmatched. There are some well-known brands such as Levi’s, Bullhead, and even Princess Polly, however, their more obscure brands were my ultimate favorite. The cut of these jeans had symmetrical waistlines, ankle slits, and some of the best flare jeans I have seen in a while. Additionally, Glue not only provides a large array of jeans but a large range of sizes as well. In terms of outwear, their men’s section was overflowing with the most unique leather and denim jackets out of these three locations. In particular, Glue collects miscellaneous pieces such as fringe jackets, leather trenchcoats, real fur coats, vintage wool cardigans, and nearly any style denim jacket you can think of. Their expansive selection paired with the inexpensive cost relative to their pieces is unmatched. Additionally, they have a plethora of slip dresses. Most of their slip dresses are maxi style, with beautiful lace detailing. These alluring dresses are a great transition piece for fall, especially if you pair it with a jacket and boots. The last notable accessory mentioned here is their shoes. The men’s boot and loafer selection are in fantastic shape for vintage shoes; not only that, but they have notable brands such as BLANK (loafers James saw). Although this article pertains specifically to clothing and accessories, something unique about Glue is its guitar selection. Throughout the store, acoustic and electric guitars are hung around the ceiling and can be bought for as low as 167. If you’re in the mood for a local and well-supplied thrift shop definitely head over to Glue on Oak Street.
NOTE: Free tote bag or Glue T-shirt if you spend $50.00 or more. Additionally, you can trade your clothing in and receive 50% off your purchase**
Swap Boutique
Address: 7716 Maple St. and 5530 Magazine Street
Price: $$$$
Features: Lululemon, Sherri Hill, Krewe, Rag & Bone
Come here for: Formal dresses and business casual attire
Swap Boutique is a luxury consignment store specializing in women’s attire and accessories. Most of their attire is composed of luxury brands including Sherri Hill, Jimmy Choo, Lyly, Agolde, Hudson, Kate Spade, and Rag & Bone (just to name a few). Although this boutique is definitely the most expensive of the four mentioned here, relative to the pristine condition of these name-brand items, it’s a steal if within your budget. In terms of age range, this boutique adheres to a slightly older crowd simply because of the attire they curate. Their button-down tops and flowy blouses are ideal for job interviews and those of you working in a professional environment. That being said, their denim jean selection is spot on for college-age and young adults. Swap collects jeans from Rag & Bone as well as Agolde and they are all in nearly pristine condition. Many of the jean brands they carry retail between $100 and $300, however, Swap sells them between $40 and $80. Although it’s not necessarily cheap, these brands are well worth the price. In terms of their formal attire, they carry a multitude of chiffon mini dresses, as well as A-line cocktail dresses perfect for a sorority/fraternity formal. One of my favorite accessories at their Magazine location was a pair of Franklin Krewe sunglasses. These sunglasses retail for $335 but were priced at $128 at Krewe. These sunglasses had a pink tag attached to them, meaning, they were 50% off of the price listed. Swap has a small blackboard with four different colors denoting the sale price of tags that match these colors. Nearly every item was tagged with one of these colors making their sale selection vast. Another notable piece was a pair of Jimmy Choo high heels. These black stiletto heels are in a case in the front of the store with other elite luxury brands. If you’re looking for formal dresses, or professional attire definitely check out Swap!
Bridge House Thrift Store
Address: 4243 Earhart Blvd
Price: $
Features: Shoes, bags, men’s blazers, and sports jackets,
Come here for: Casual attire, men’s formal attire, y2k tops, BIG sales
Bridge House Thrift Store is the epitome of the classic thrift store. This unassuming store located right next to an autobody shop doesn’t look like much when you pull in, however, when you step inside you are confronted not only with a huge assortment of men and women attire but houseware too such as dressers, chairs, couches... you name it! To me, Bridge House is exactly what you would expect of a classic thrift shop. There is a ton of merchandise, however, it is organized in a completely customer-friendly way. Items are separated by category, and within each category, sizes are separated by cardboard signs. In terms of attire, this store has the largest assortment of shoes of the bunch. There are two main shoe sections and they have everything from men’s cowboy boots to women’s sandals. Although you might need to search for it, they have iconic name brands priced for close to nothing. One member of the club actually found three pairs of Weejun loafers! In addition to the vast selection of shoes, their outwear, specifically men’s sports coats and blazers is phenomenal. An entire rack that spans the better half of the store is packed with black, gray, and blue jackets all of which are in great condition. Pondering through this section for a mere minute I found a Hart Schaffner Marx men’s blazer. These blazers are made to fit and range from the high $500 to well over $1,000. Believe it or not, this blazer was selling for $25.00! Let that sink in. One last section that stood out was their women’s t-shirts. We came across many bedazzled baby-style ribbed t-shirts. If we know anything about the current trendy fashion of today, we know that the y2k look is in full swing. I will leave you with just one thing more. Nearly every section has a “Last Stop Section.” These bins or clothing racks are filled with items that are being sold for just $1.00. Although there is SO much more to this diamond in the rough I won’t spoil any more and let you check it out for yourself.