Whether you’re moving to Chicago on a budget, looking for one-of-kind fashion pieces, in the resale game, or just love finding hidden gems – Chicago has a multitude of thrift stores perfect for your needs. Here are some of my favorites.
Best Value (aka cheap AF)
1. Village Discount Outlet (multiple locations)
When I moved to Humboldt Park back in 2016 and started working at the Cheesecake Factory downtown, I bought all my white dress shirts and ties at Village Discount for super cheap.
When I signed a year lease in Andersonville in 2018 and owned only a backpack of clothing, I bought about 90% of my apartment needs at Village Discount (plates, cups, pots, pans, decorations, etc.). This is my formal love letter to Village Discount. Village Discount is like Walmart, they have everything you’ll ever need. It’s big and a bit chaotic, but I love it.
There are 9 locations in Chicago, my 2 favorites are:
Andersonville – 4898 N. Clark St.
Logan Square – 2032 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Pro tip: there are deals every day of the week. On Sundays, college students get 20% (if you have a *current or old* student ID, use it!). Check their website for the most updated sales. Pay attention to the colored tags (certain colors= discounts)!
Pro tip for life in general: never throw away your college ID.
Best Cause (A+ at supporting their local community)
2. The Brown Elephant (multiple locations)
All proceeds of The Brown Elephant benefit LGBTQ+ health and fund for the uninsured and under-insured at Howard Brown Health. Howard Brown Health is one of the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ organizations and serves over 18,000 Chicagoans each year.
Aside from all that awesome-ness, I love The Brown Elephant for unique household items and furniture pieces.
There are 2 Chicago locations:
Andersonville – 5404 N Clark St.
Northalsted – 812 W Belmont Ave.
3. Out of the Closet (Northalsted)
Out of the Closet is an eclectic, LGBTQ+ thrift store with an incredible mission – to raise funds and awareness for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. 96 cents of every dollar made from sales at Out of the Closet goes to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s HIV prevention and treatment services, and FREE HIV testing is available at every location!
This is a great spot for finding gently-used clothing, household items, decor pieces, and plenty of other random goodies. They even have a pop-up dressing room so you can try clothes on before you buy them.
Out of the Closet has multiple locations around the country, and their Chicago’s store is located right in the Northalsted gayborhood. Keep an eye out for their hot pink storefront!
Location: 3311 N Halsted St
Most Unique Finds
4. Green Element Resale (Edgewater)
The Green Element Resale is LOADED with randomness (lol). I bought my luggage for South Korea here, books, a winter jacket, a cute mug and more. This place gets an A+ in unique (maybe a bit weird), but I enjoy rummaging around and finding hidden treasures here.
Location: 6241 N Broadway
My Go-To Thrift Stores (personal favs)
5. Crossroads Trading (multiple locations)
Crossroads Trading is my personal favorite thrift store in Chicago. I’ve bought most of my thrifted clothing at Crossroads. You can find cheap name brand, gently used clothing and shoes. I’ve bought a Patagonia jacket, Vans slip-ons, brand-new Nike running shoes, Lululemon yoga pants, and more! Their clothing is contemporary, trendy, and affordable.
There are 3 Chicago Locations:
Evanston – 1730 Sherman Ave
Lincoln Park (personal fav) – 2711 N Clark St
Wicker Park -1519 N Milwaukee Ave
6. Buffalo Exchange (multiple locations)
Buffalo Exchange is a privately owned, family-run resale shop with 50 stores across the US. They are my second favorite for second-hand clothing in the city. Buffalo Exchange is very similar to Crossroads and has trendy designer and vintage clothing pieces. (Crossroads tends to be a bit cheaper and has a larger selection.)
You can also sell or trade your clothing/shoes (50% in trade or 30% in cash).
There are 2 Chicago locations:
Andersonville – 5252 N. Clark Street
Wicker Park – 1478 N. Milwaukee Ave
7. Vintage Frills (Logandale)
Vintage Frills is a retro-inspired, Black-woman-owned clothing store that sits between the Logan Square and Avondale neighborhoods. The shop is organized by a rainbow of color-coordinated cubbies and offers a mix of high-quality thrift items and affordable vintage finds. They also advertise as a proud LGBTQ+ ally!
Location: 2846 N Milwaukee Ave
BONUS: A Few Thrifting Tips
- Make a list of key items you are looking for. Come prepared (or you might spend hours wandering aimlessly).
- Bring your own bag.
- Go on Tuesdays or Wednesdays for new merchandise. (Also, ask each store when they restock with new items.)
- Wear an outfit that’s easy for trying things on. Some thrift stores do not have dressing rooms. I usually wear a tank top (or sports bra) and leggings so that I can try on jeans, shirts, jackets, etc on top of my clothes.
- Upon arrival, check discounts. Most stores use a colored tag system. Check which colors have discounts!
- Don’t be afraid to haggle if the item is broken or torn!
For more ideas of things to do in Chicago, check out my other articles below!
- 50 Best Free Things to Do in Chicago in 2024 – Courtney the Explorer
- How Travel Chicago On a Budget – Courtney the Explorer
- 7 Cute + Affordable Airbnbs in Chicago – Courtney the Explorer
- 101+ Gay Things to Do in Chicago – Courtney the Explorer
What’re your favorite thrift stores in Chicago? What treasures have you found while thrifting? *comment below*
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2 Comments
Krista
October 3, 2020 at 1:11 pmI don’t often go to thrift shops while travelling, but the few I have been to have had some interesting finds in them. Thanks for pointing out some good ones in Chicago!
Lizz Merdinger
March 10, 2022 at 9:37 pmCrossroads trading in Evanston! 1730 Sherman ave the Andersonville location is closed 🙂