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Top 5 L.A. Vintage Stores

Julie Tong |
September 13, 2010 | 10:24 p.m. PDT

Staff Reporter

Lemon Frog Shop (Julie Tong)
Lemon Frog Shop (Julie Tong)
After scouring vintage and consignment stores throughout Los Angeles, I have compiled a list of my "Top 5 Favorite Vintage Stores" you absolutely must check out.

I’ve done the grueling work of shuffling through endless clothing racks and shoe stocked shelves, trying to figure out which stores provide the most gems for your buck.

Now that the deed is done, all I ask is one favor: check out the list below, put your best shopping shoes on, and start raiding these shops like no other!

1. Lemon Frog Shop

Located on the corner of Alvarado Street and Sunset Boulevard, this shop tops the list as the best vintage shop in Los Angeles. Although the space is on the smaller side, it is no testament to the quality and vast amount of boots that align the store, purses that accent the walls, and jewelry that are scattered on the tables. The best part, you don’t always have to burn a whole in your wallet here. There are items priced as low as a few dollars and year round sales to feast your retail hunger. In the past, I’ve scored an amazing pair of brown leather boots marked down from $96 to a mere $30 and a beautifully crafted vintage pendant necklace for $10. Not only is the swag sweet, but the owner, Micki is the top of the cake. She is perhaps the sweetest woman you will ever meet and is always eager to help. Not only will you leave the store with something special that you love, with every purchase, Micki lets you pick a small complementary gift from her treasure chest. Now what more could you ever want from a vintage store?

1202-B N. Alvarado St. Los Angeles, CA 90026

Search for “Lemon Frogshop” [no space between Frog & Shop] on Facebook for the latest store updates.

2. Squaresville

Located in the heart of the hip and cool Los Feliz area, this shop houses items for both men and women, offering customers designer gems for less, and wide vintage-variety. The store is two floors, with the first floor containing items for women and the second floor for men. Here you will find everything from shoes to bags to your typical clothing attire. However, unlike many other vintage stores, there is no clutter here at Squaresville. Everything is neatly shelved and hung making the search for that perfect shirt, dress, or shoe a whole lot easier to find. The pricing is decent, and at times very generous. I recently scored a Betsey Johnson dress here for a mere $28!

1800 N. Vermont Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90027

3. SLOW

Out of all the shops that align Melrose Avenue, this shop stands out as my third favorite shop for two reasons: their shoes and bags.The shop houses items for both men and women, but from my experience, I feel that SLOW’s strength lies in their selection of boots, flats, and purses. The store ranges in price with some items reaching triple digits, but the majority of their items can be found for $15 to $50. I saw a vintage coach purse on sale for only $28. Now that is a steal! You probably won’t find a gem with every visit, but every so often, you will see one.

7474 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90046

4. Wasteland

If you want a more fresh and tidy vibe to your typical retro themed vintage store, check out Wasteland, also found on Melrose. Here, the hardwood floors are spotless, there is no quirky decor, nor a feeling of having to rummage through endless racks before finding the perfect item. Now I wouldn’t exactly come here for their shoes and accessories, but instead for their clothing selection. The store feels more like a designer resell spot than a true at heart vintage shop, but that doesn’t mean their collection is spotty, just a bit more high end. That being said, don’t come to Wasteland without at least $100 or you won’t get very much for your greens. Although the items are priced higher, the quality is apparent.

7428 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90046

5. Jet Rag

This shop finishes off the list as fifth due to the sheer multitude of vintage items found here. Trust me, this shop is massive. You will definitely need a few hours at your disposal to even scratch the surface of Jet Rag’s seemingly endless racks of clothing. Jet Rag doesn’t have as many vintage as-is-treasures as the other shops listed, but if you’re good at sewing and have an eye for sartorial design, Jet Rag is your spot. There are racks upon racks of clothing for both men and women, but most of the clothing are oversized or awkwardly cut making them perfect for vintage shoppers looking to make these pieces their own. Although items here range from low to high, every Sunday Jet Rag holds a $1 sale in their parking lot.

825 N. La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90038

Happy Shopping!

SLIDESHOW: TOP FIVE L.A. VINTAGE STORES

Reach staff reporter Julie Tong here.



 

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