When you first come to the Bay Area, you think: “Wow, people here dresses super casually and they also love grey. And puffy jackets. And backpacks.” And you are not wrong, we love all of it. But if you really pay attention, you will find out that people has an amazing way to put themselves together without looking overdone. Instead, they look edgy and often with a mix of shapes and fabrics that makes everything more interesting.
One of my favorite neighborhoods to go thrift shopping around here is Oakland, because their street style seems to be very influenced by music and arts. People there also have this strong sense of community that is so different of anywhere else I’ve ever visited or lived. They also love vintage or second hand clothes and they definitely help to grow the thrift shopping culture around the area by supporting the small businesses focused in reselling clothes. They celebrate diversity, are engaged in politics and love to be a multicultural town.
They also have the skill of looking very fashion forward while dressing a full second hand look. It is amazing to see all of those cool people walking around in the streets rocking their outfits, and the consequence of this is a lot of cool thrift stores in the neighborhood, where you can find colorful good quality pieces inside a very clean and well decorated space. Because of that, I decided to introduce you guys to three of my favorite stores for you to check them out! Here we go:
1. Knimble
This was the first thrift store I’ve been in Oakland and felt in love with it. Other than selling recycled clothing, they also sell some new items like jewelry and lifestyle gifts. The store is beautiful and the staff makes you feel comfortable about walking around as much as you want. They have a big inventory in a two floors store. I usually leave the place with a minimum of three pieces of clothing.
Address: 3258 Grand Ave, Oakland, CA, 94610 Phone: (510) 645-1314
2. ThredUP Retail
We all know ThredUp as an online second hand store, and when I found out that they also had physical stores, it was mind blowing. One of the them is located in Oakland, so I went there to check it out and I was not disappointed at all. Somehow they make you feel like you are inside the website (I know, it is crazy!) because they used the same color tones for their interior design and the selection is pretty good! The fitting room is huge and gives you a lot of space to walk around and see yourself in the mirror from all angles. I am always going back there and I would recommend a visitation if you are around the area.
Address: 485 9th St, Oakland, CA 94607 Phone: (510) 213-7040
3. Maribel
Maribel is a consignment store that works with high end brands like Rag and Bone, Isabel Marant and Louis Vuitton. The have an amazing selection and it is just a dream to walk around and check every single piece they have in there. They also sell some beautiful handmaids jewelry. I like to go there when I have a special occasion to go like a wedding or holiday party.
Address: 3251 Lakeshore Ave, Oakland, CA, 94610 Phone: (510)419-0677
These are the stores I visit constantly and I always have a good experience in there. My check points to decide if the store is really worth visiting are: quality of the clothes, pricing and staff service and I can definitely affirm that all of these stores offer a very good mix of the three elements! Let me know in the comments if you want more of this type of lists for another locations! And if you visit Oakland and the stores, please share you impressions with me, I would love to know if you liked the places as much as I do!
