Thrift-Seeker: Vintage Shopping

1660 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117 (map)

There will undoubtedly be visits to this Haight Street used-clothing behemoth that yield nothing more than a lingering smell of moth balls, but the occasional amazing finds (think vintage pieces at roughly Salvation Army prices) make it worth regular stops.

1711 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117 (map)

It's not cheap, but at least the choice of vintage finds (with a great selection of old dresses especially) at this Haight Street oasis will make you feel like the million bucks you end up spending.

3789 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114 (map)

The thrill of finding that perfect decades-old summer dress is magnified by the genuine pleasure the staff of this charming Noe Valley store takes in helping you shop. A few racks of locally designed pieces can be found here as well.

218 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94114 (map)

This men's-only Castro shop sells high-quality, stylish vintage wear from suits to tees, but shoppers of average build will find the most options since everything is obviously only available in one size. See their sister store at 2265 Market St. for more used clothing.

1901 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115 (map)

This national chain of secondhand stores boasts a number of Bay Area locations; stop by if you're in need of more modern used gear (brands like Gap and J.Crew are pretty common) or want to make a little cash off your own old duds.

473 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94103 (map)

The main selling point at this large, no-frills Mission thrift store isn't the quality of the clothes or style of the garments but the fact that you pay just $10 per pound for whatever you can fit in a bag.

260 Divisidero St, San Francisco, CA 94117 (map)

Carefully hand-picked vintage pieces mix with stylish new streetwear, shoes and artwork at this pocket-sized Lower Haight shop.

2056 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109 (map)

Finally, a dignified way to afford Miu Miu purses, Prada shoes, and Chanel sunglasses--this Nob Hill secondhand store carries all the finest labels (and many pieces in little-used condition) at a fraction of the cost of buying them new.

437 Hayes St Ste B, San Francisco, CA 94102 (map)

This Hayes Valley boutique bestows shoppers with high-class, mint-condition vintage wear: dresses, sweater, shoes, purses, jewelry, the works.

791 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110 (map)

This smallish Mission shop carries a hand-picked selection of playful, affordable vintage fashions (mostly '60s and '70s stuff) for both men and women--a perfect spot to pick up some polyester and gold sequins for your friend's disco party.