Go thrift shopping in Baltimore

Long regarded as an activity reserved for pretentious hipsters, thrift shopping is now for everyone thanks to Macklemore’s catchy hit. And as a poor college student with probably less than $20 in your pocket, you too can pop some tags right here in Baltimore.

The first thing you need to know about thrifting is that there is a difference between thrift shops and vintage stores. It’s easy to mix them up when you’re walking around looking for a store or searching on Google Maps. Some vintage places try to trick you into believing that they are thrift shops, but they sit on a throne of lies.

Vintage stores are the more expensive version of thrift shops. They sell authentic vintage clothing at rather high prices and, in my experience, usually set up their stores like brand name designer shops. Unless you are specifically shopping for a dress that is actually from the 20’s, and are willing to pay the high price for its authenticity, stick with thrift shops for the same look at a cheaper price. Vintage pieces, though often beautiful, are frequently not worth the cost.

That is why I avoid the “thrift stores” behind campus in Hampden. Most of them are vintage stores with prices rivaling that of normal clothing stores. They’re fun for window shopping, but not so great for actually thrifting.

Now we can move on to the real deal: actual thrift shops.

When it comes to which thrift shop is best (cheapest, best selection, hottest workers), there are two things to consider: location and size.

Location, location, location! Thrift shops usually get their broken keyboards and flannel zebra jammies from local donations so the richer the neighborhood, the greater quality of things that get donated, and the better finds.

In terms of quality, the best thrift shop I’ve been to so far in Baltimore is the Goodwill in Fell’s Point. It’s easily accessible by the Charm City Circulator, which stops right on the corner of the street. Baltimore is a city, so the thrift shops are a bit pricier than those in the suburbs, but good deals are still available.

The size factor is easy to deduce; the bigger the store, the more goods available and the higher chance of finding great stuff.

There is a pretty sizeable Goodwill right on Greenmount Avenue. Though I haven’t been there myself, I’ve heard it’s pretty decent for fashion hunts so it seems like it’d be worth a try. Greenmount is just a couple of blocks off campus but in a bit of a shady area, so take a buddy and go during the day.

Though it’s definitely a bit harder to thrift in a city where the stores are smaller and most aren’t right down the road, it’s not impossible to find your grandparents’ cool old clothes. Just ask the awesome gold leaf earrings I found for $3 in Fell’s Point. They are incredible.