Bella & Brawn
413 N. Bishop Ave.
When owner Aimee Hughes isn’t busy being a nurse practitioner, she loves sourcing items for the bohemian shop that she runs with her daughter. Snag one of their hand-poured soy wax candles, which are contained in gorgeous vintage vessels and burn cleaner than most. Essential oils add fragrance, and the wicks are nontoxic, made from cotton or wood. The boutique has an abundance of other charming offerings, some dating back as early as 1870. “My customers who buy vintage are younger and younger, because maybe they don’t have anything from family that’s been passed down as an heirloom,” Hughes says. “This just kind of helps them have that experience.” —Maddie Spera
Pro tip: The shop offers hand-poured candle refills to previous customers for only $1.95 per ounce.
Hunt for: vintage purses and evening clutches for casual or formal events
Thrift World
3046 Forest Ln., Ste. 100 | 972-481-7800
The name gives you an idea of the amount of inventory here. Your job is to hunt down the hidden gems jam-packed inside. It can be chaotic, but it can also be an adrenaline rush when you come across a $7 Calvin Klein knit sweater from the men’s rack. A near-new black blazer got me through numerous job interviews. When I used to share a room with my best friend and eat off the dollar menu while attempting to figure out life fresh out of high school, this place got me through the winter. It’s still a thrill to find jeans, sweaters, cardigans, and tees for bargain prices. — Aileen Jimenez
Pro tip: Colored tags are assigned discounts on randomized days.
Hunt for: gently used or still-in-the-box home goods, including kitchenware
Lula B’s
1010 N. Riverfront Blvd. | 214-749-1929; 1982 Fort Worth Ave. | 214-824-2185
Lula B’s is sectioned off by vendor, and each nook you enter feels like you’re stepping into someone’s personal space, from a closet of graphic tees and jackets to a living room with a mid-century modern couch and a ’70s bar cart. The Design District location focuses more on home decor. If you’re in the market for vintage dishes, new light fixtures, or a magazine rack, you’re in the right spot. The Oak Cliff location is the place to go for clothes; one of our favorite vendors carries a good selection of leather jackets. Stop in around Halloween, when shoppers fill the store to pull distinctive pieces for their costumes. — Mia Carrera
Pro tip: Be sure to inspect every inch of every section for smaller finds, such as frames and coasters.
Hunt for: vintage designer purses from Dooney & Bourke to Coach
Vintage Martini Consignment
2923 N. Henderson Ave., Ste. A | 469-334-0584
Owners Ken Weber and Greg Kelly have assembled a collection of perfectly preserved pieces from as early as the 1700s. Weber, a seasoned costume designer and walking fashion history encyclopedia, began to accumulate a collection of clothes while working in film, commercials, and television. There are Chanel dresses, Gucci wallets, Prada purses, and a roped-off mini fashion museum with Victorian pieces and historical designs. Weber and Kelly have been sourcing and selling one-of-a-kind fashion pieces since the late ’90s, and their devoted following includes such notable names as Brooke Shields, Laverne Cox, and Barbra Streisand. — A.J.
Pro tip: Racks are organized by decade for easy reference.
Hunt for: jewelry and accessories
Dolly Python
1914-1916 N. Haskell Ave. | 214-887-3434; 315 N. Bishop Ave. | 214-998-0506
Owner Gretchen Bell began working for small vintage clothing stores in high school and collected everything from western wear to graphic tees. After getting a degree in fashion design and becoming an assistant stylist, she knew she wanted her own store. She opened her first shop on Haskell and now has a second in the Bishop Arts District. “A lot of where this stuff comes from is not a happy circumstance,” Bell says. “Somebody has died, there’s a debt involved, downsizing, but I feel like I’m making something positive by repurposing it.” — M.C.
Pro tip: Clothing is carefully organized from everyday items, such as band tees and cowboy boots, to pieces from specific decades.
Hunt for: unique household items, barware, and records
Genesis Benefit Thrift Store
3419 Knight St. | 214-520-6644
Beyond offering a discount on a new wardrobe, Genesis collects donations so that women who are survivors of domestic violence can shop for free. All proceeds go to Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support to help the nonprofit continue to provide short- and long-term housing, legal services, and counseling services for survivors of domestic violence. If you aren’t looking to shop, donate. Bring in gently used clothing, furniture, electronics, and baby items. Check out genesisshelter.org for a full list of what they accept. — A.J.
Pro tip: Use the drive-through drop-off service for speedy donations.
Hunt For: living room add-ons, such as accent mirrors and lamps
Keeks Designer Handbags
4909 W. Park Blvd. #151, Plano | 469-367-0340
With months- or years-long waitlists, some luxury designers make it difficult to get ahold of their purses and accessories. Kristen Donnell wanted to make it a little easier, so she opened Keeks Designer Handbags, a small purse resale shop in Collin Creek Mall, in 2010. After selling out of her stock of pre-owned Louis Vuitton, Donnell went all-in on luxury handbags. In the years since, she’s grown her extensive inventory to include some of the most exclusive designers. Now in her 10,000-square-foot Plano store, folks can shop designer brands, like Gucci, Givenchy, Prada, Celine, Chanel, and more, at a discount. — Catherine Wendlandt
Pro tip: Follow Keeks on Instagram to catch the latest bags to hit the store
Hunt For: discontinued designs, Louis Vuitton monograms, Louboutin heels, and Hermes accessories
AAVINTEDGE
2811 N. Henderson Ave.
Three years after Caitlin Brax opened the doors of AAVintedge on Henderson Avenue in 2020, a steady stream of business from loyal clientele exploded into madness when a TikTok post went viral. Now she sells as many as 100 pairs of vintage jeans a day. Known as the “denim whisperer,” Brax has a superpower: She can give you one good look up and down, followed by a 360-degree spin, and then present you with perfectly fitting jeans without ever asking for a number. She does this by focusing on body shape rather than size, and sourcing all her store’s jeans herself, creating a mental catalog of her extensive stock. — Alyssa Fields
Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to gender swap or go up a size.
Hunt For: vintage Wranglers
Authors
Catherine Wendlandt
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Alyssa Fields
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