7 Unique Thrift and Vintage Stores in Austin

Thrifting is an awesome way to not just support local businesses, but to also live a more sustainable lifestyle! 

Just think about it. The fashion industry is the second-largest polluter in the world after the oil industry, causing devastating damage to the world’s water, air and environment. Over 25% of the world’s pesticides are used in cotton fields, which only make up 2.4% of the world’s total cropland! It takes about 5,000 gallons of water to produce one single T-shirt, and half a trillion gallons of clean freshwater is mixed with chemicals to dye textiles and fabrics each year. 

Sustainability is so much more than plastic-free packaging and organic groceries. It’s about living a lifestyle that leaves our environments better than they were when we found them, and there are so many ways to do that! One of these great ways is by thrifting our goods, rather than buying them new.

Thrifting items, whether that be clothing, household goods, tools, toys, games, whatever, gives new life to items that would have likely have ended up spending the remainder of its life in a landfill. We have the freedom to wear what we like, support local stores, repurpose old items and bring products back into the world for another cycle of use. 

Here are some great thrift stores around Austin that are sure to hold some remarkable treasures that are just waiting to be found! 

7 unique thrift and vintage stores in Austin

Coco Coquette

2109 E. Cesar Chavez St.

Inventory type: headwear, fragrances, jewelry, vintage

If you’re looking for one-of-a-kind pieces and an abundance of inclusive items, then make sure to visit Coco Coquette in the East Cesar Chavez neighborhood. It’s here that visitors can enter into a nurturing, all-inclusive space where one can find the wigs, clothing, accessories and more that truly reflect their deepest selves. It’s a store that connects deeply to the community and that works with nonprofits across the city to support and raise up the people of Austin. 

Allen’s Boots

1522 S. Congress Ave.

Inventory type: boots, jackets, accessories

High-quality footwear, here we come! Allen's Boots is home to over 10,000 boots from a wide variety of well-known brands like Ariat, Liberty Black, Old Gringo and more!  

The family-owned footwear store has graced Austin with fine boots, leather jackets, buckles and accessories since 1977, so it’s absolutely the place to go for everything cowboy-related.

Lucy in Disguise with Diamonds

1506 South Congress Ave

Inventory type: costume and vintage

Your one-stop-shop for all things costume and vintage, Lucy in Disguise with Diamonds has been Austin’s party outfitter since 1984! Make sure to check out the elaborate assortment of wigs, gloves, makeup, jewelry, hosiery and more that’s housed in all 8,000 square feet of the South Congress District store. 

Bloomers and Frocks 

1628 S. First St.

Inventory type: vintage women’s boutique

Got a decade in mind? We got you covered! 

Whether you’re in search of 1920s flapper styles, 1930s Old Hollywood glitz, 1940s chic, 1950s New Look, 1960s fashion, 1970s disco or all things 1980s, you can always find something you like at Bloomers and Frocks women's boutique. Shop everyday wear, black tie formal outfits, business wardrobes and so much more!

Charm School Vintage

1111 E. 11th St.

Inventory type: vintage clothing, natural healing

At Charm School Vintage, every piece has a story, so you know you’re getting something special. Every item at this Central East Austin store is unique, whether it's a handmade garment, sustainably-made jewelry, holistic apothecary or healing crystals. Don’t miss out on their workshops on crystal healing and plant magic, too, as well as their thrifting events!

I Luv Video

4803 Airport Blvd.

Inventory type: vintage memorabilia, films

This Hyde Park video store is no mere Blockbuster wannabe. In fact, it’s outlived nearly every video store in the world and has achieved the most coveted achievement any store of its kind strives for: relevancy.

Yes, this video store is not just surviving through the digital age, but it is positively thriving. I Luv Video is the largest and oldest video store in the world, and if filmography was a religion, this would be its pilgrimage site. Step back right into the 1980s when browsing video stores was the peak social pastime, when movie memorabilia were coveted collectors items and when life was just plain good. Browse through two levels of movies, movies, movies galore, and see just what brings movie lovers back to this Austin goldmine time and time again.

Moss

705 South Lamar Blvd.

Inventory type: high-end designer consignment

Thrift and vintage do not have to be one and the same, as there are plenty of places that curate specifically to more modern fashion styles. Moss, a high-end consignment store near The Long Center for the Performing Arts, is Texas’ premiere location for finding all your favorite designer labels from seasons past. Browse through Gucci, Fendi, Valentino, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and more, resting easy in the fact that each item has been carefully vetted for authenticity and quality. 

So head out there, see what you can find, and make your Austin apartment all the more special by outfitting it with sustainable goodies found right here in Austin!

Have fun!

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Featured photo courtesy  Pixabay/Free-Photos