At first glance, the racks at Burlington thrift store Battery Street Jeans seem overwhelming. Between the dusty frocks and out-of-date blazers, though, are lots of great vintage finds that can set you apart from the crowds and give your wallet a break.

"I know the looks of vintage is really popular now,” said Caroline Little, a manager at Battery Street Jeans. “If you go into Urban Outfitters, a lot of that stuff looks just like stuff we have here at Battery Street, but it's a lot more expensive."

Sophia Sullivan, a sophomore at Champlain, agrees. When asked why she loves thrift shopping, she had only one answer: "It's cheaper!"

"With my mom I've always gone thrift store shopping,” Sullivan said. “And now it's the style.”

More and more young Vermonters are catching on to the benefits of secondhand stores.

“It's more fun. It’s more of an experience,” said Francesca Orsini, 24, Burlington resident. “I don't go out looking for something, I just kind of peruse and find things.”

Plato’s Closet in Williston, which buys and sells gently used clothing, has become so popular it had to expand a few years ago.

“Our walls just weren’t big enough,” co-owner Roberta Hipes said.

The vast majority of her customers are between 12 and 28, she said, and Plato’s Closet sells clothes that have been in stores within the past year and half.

Shopping in a secondhand store is a must for people who “prefer to spend their money in other ways,” Hipes said.

 “It’s a 70 percent savings for them,” she said. “It makes sense for those who need their money. On top of that, we pay cash for their gently used clothes that are in good condition and current styles.”

It’s also a great way to recycle, Hipes added.

That’s a big draw for 20-year-old Burlington resident Rachel Franz.

“I'm an environmentalist, so this gives me an opportunity not to support the corporate businesses that don't treat their workers fairly and it allows me to recycle,” she said. 

If you still feel weird about buying used stuff, Little suggested starting small.

"You don't have to shop everything at a thrift store, but when it comes to accessories and jewelry it just makes so much more sense," she said.

Burlington resident Meagan Delaney, a self-proclaimed lifetime thrift store shopper, said she enjoys the possibility of finding something unique.

"Everything's so different that I can spend hours going through the racks and find something really special," said Delaney, while browsing the racks at Battery Street Jeans recently with an armful of clothes.

Whether you're going for a unique look, or just something that won't max out your credit card, thrift store shopping is the way to go. The vintage look is in, so why not go for the real stuff? 

 

Some Local Thrift Stores

Battery Street Jeans, 7 Marble Ave., Burlington. www.batterystreetjeans.com.

Plato’s Closet, 34 Taft Corners Shopping Center, Williston. www.platosclosetwilliston.com.

Second Time Around, 89 Church St., Burlington. www.secondtimearound.net.

Old Gold, 180 Main St., Burlington. www.oldgoldvermont.com.

Goodwill, 329 Harvest Ln., Williston. www.goodwillnne.org.

On More Time Quality Consignment, 62 Main St., Montpelier. 223-1353.

Classy Closet, 164 Main St., Winooski. 655-2330.

 

 

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