Where are the best vintage shops in SoHo?
SoHo invented the concept of the downtown shopping destination. Before the luxury flagships moved in, this was all artists, lofts, and secondhand racks. That DNA is still here if you know where to look.
What Goes Around Comes Around (351 West Broadway) is the anchor. Two floors of museum-quality vintage: Chanel bags, 1960s band tees, broken-in leather jackets, and designer pieces spanning decades. Prices reflect the curation. Expect to pay $80 to $300 for clothing, significantly more for handbags and rare finds. Open daily, typically 11am to 7pm (8pm on weekends).
Stella Dallas Living (218 Thompson St, just west of SoHo’s core) specializes in 1960s and 70s bohemian pieces. Think crochet vests, prairie dresses, vintage Levi’s, and chunky turquoise jewelry. The shop itself feels like stepping into someone’s very cool grandmother’s closet. Prices are reasonable, mostly $30 to $150.
Metropolis Vintage (43 Third Ave, a short walk east) carries a deep rotation of denim, military surplus, and workwear. Not technically SoHo, but close enough to hit on the same day.
What about thrift shops near SoHo?
True thrift stores (charity-run, bargain-priced) are rare inside SoHo proper. The rents are too high. But a few sit just outside the neighborhood and are absolutely worth the walk.
- Cure Thrift Shop (111 East 12th St, Union Square area). A 15-minute walk north. Benefits the Diabetes Research Institute. Excellent furniture, clothing, and housewares. Prices start at a few dollars. Open Mon-Sat 10am to 7pm, Sun 11am to 6pm.
- Housing Works Bookstore Cafe (126 Crosby St). This one is in SoHo. It is a used bookstore and cafe, not a clothing thrift, but it is a nonprofit gem with a gorgeous interior. Great for picking up secondhand books, vinyl, and gifts. Open daily.
- Buffalo Exchange (332 East 11th St, East Village). Consignment and buy-sell-trade model. Trendy, affordable, and well-organized. About a 20-minute walk from central SoHo or a quick ride on the 6 train from Spring St to Astor Place.
Where are the quirkiest indie boutiques in SoHo?
This is where SoHo still earns its reputation. These are not vintage stores, not thrift shops. They are independent, owner-operated, and genuinely weird in the best way.
Evolution (687 Broadway at Great Jones). A natural history store selling fossils, taxidermy, anatomical models, and insect specimens. You will walk out with a framed butterfly or a shark tooth. Open daily 11am to 7pm.
MoMA Design Store (81 Spring St). Not indie in the traditional sense, but the product selection is singular: art books, design objects, jewelry, and home goods you will not find at a department store.
Kiosk (previously on Spring St; check current pop-up locations). A rotating collection of everyday objects sourced from a single country. Pencils from Japan, soaps from Portugal, tools from Germany. The concept is brilliant.
Oroboro (20 Howard St). A women’s boutique carrying independent designers with a focus on natural fibers, handmade jewelry, and ceramics. Small, calm, beautifully curated.
McNally Jackson Books (52 Prince St). Independent bookstore with a strong design and architecture section, plus an in-house printing press (the Espresso Book Machine) that prints paperbacks on demand. Open daily 10am to 9pm.
INA (multiple SoHo locations, including 15 Bleecker St). High-end consignment. Prada, Celine, Dries Van Noten at 50 to 80 percent off retail. The stock rotates fast; check back often.
What is the best route for hitting these shops in one day?
Start at the Prince St station (N/R/W). Walk south on West Broadway to What Goes Around Comes Around. Continue south to Grand St, then cut east to Oroboro on Howard. Walk north on Crosby to Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, then east to Broadway for Evolution. Head west on Prince to McNally Jackson Books and the MoMA Design Store on Spring. Finish at Stella Dallas Living on Thompson.
Total walking distance: roughly 1.5 miles. Allow 3 to 4 hours if you actually browse.
Tips only a local would know
- Go on a weekday before noon. SoHo’s cobblestone streets are a zoo on Saturday afternoons. Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are ideal.
- Check Instagram before you go. Shops like What Goes Around Comes Around and INA post new arrivals to their stories. If you see something, move fast.
- Bring cash for the smaller spots. Most accept cards, but a few of the truly indie shops still prefer cash or have minimums.
- Look up. SoHo’s cast-iron architecture is the real backdrop. The shopping is better when you are also paying attention to the buildings.
- Combine with the West Village. Walk west from SoHo on Houston or Bleecker and you hit another cluster of indie shops, including vintage stores along Bleecker between Sixth and Seventh Avenues.
Turn this guide into a personalized plan.
Frequently asked questions
- Is SoHo good for thrift shopping on a budget?
- SoHo itself skews toward curated vintage and consignment, which means higher prices. For true budget thrifting, walk to Cure Thrift Shop near Union Square or Buffalo Exchange in the East Village, both within 15 to 20 minutes on foot.
- What time do vintage shops in SoHo open?
- Most open between 11am and noon. What Goes Around Comes Around and McNally Jackson Books are reliably open by 11am daily. Smaller indie shops sometimes open closer to noon, especially on weekdays.
- Can I sell my own clothes at SoHo consignment shops?
- Yes. INA accepts consignment of designer clothing and accessories. Buffalo Exchange (East Village) operates on a buy-sell-trade model where you can sell items on the spot for cash or trade credit. Call ahead to confirm current intake policies.
- Are SoHo's indie shops within walking distance of each other?
- Yes. SoHo is compact, roughly 20 blocks bounded by Houston, Canal, Lafayette, and Sixth Avenue. You can walk between any two shops in the neighborhood in under 10 minutes.
- What other neighborhoods near SoHo are good for vintage shopping?
- The East Village and Lower East Side have a strong concentration of vintage and resale shops, including L Train Vintage and Tokio 7. The West Village along Bleecker Street also has several curated vintage boutiques. All are walkable from SoHo.