Thanks, It’s Vintage:
A Guide to LA’s Best Secondhand Shops

It hits you like an electric current — zap. You resist (or don’t) looking over your shoulder, touch the fabric, inhale before checking the price tag. We’re talking, of course, about a vintage score — that rare moment when you stumble onto an item so special you can’t believe your eyes or your luck.

Los Angeles has always been a mecca of vintage, thrift, and consignment stores. With the world-renowned Rose Bowl Flea Market within a 30-minute drive of the LINE, scores of designer vintage stores to the west, and new vintage collectives and pop-ups to the east, there’s a one-of-a-kind find for everyone. On your next visit, plan a half-day exploring one or more of the city’s vintage enclaves. After all, what could be a better souvenir than something with a story — say, a vintage Pucci scarf or Jean-Paul Gaultier tee?

Scout Los Angeles, Reformation Vintage & Melrose Trading Post (Melrose)
If you’re a fan of Desert Vintage, think of Scout as Los Angeles’ version — that is to say, high luxury, designer vintage pieces that feel like something Chloë Sevigny would covet. These are pieces you’ll want to celebrate occasions in, whether that’s New Year’s Eve, a wedding, or, hey, a long-awaited divorce. Better yet, use whatever you find at Scout as an excuse to throw a party. Nearby, Reformation has a dedicated store for vintage and upcycled pieces. Reformation actually started as a vintage business, and its vintage buyers still dig through Los Angeles’ closed-to-the-public rag houses every week to find unexpected-yet-on-trend gems. Finally, if you time your vintage shopping to land on a Sunday, you can also hit the Melrose Trading Post, one of LA’s most popular flea markets.

Squaresville (Los Feliz)
Squaresville has been in business for over 20 years, so you know it’s going to be good. With a mix of collector items and fairly priced vintage for both women and men, Squaresville also isn’t afraid of color, getting weird, or the avant-garde — which means it’s deeply beloved by Gen Z. It’s also ideally located for spending a morning on foot. LA favorite, Skylight Books, is up the block, and there are countless restaurants in Los Feliz for a post-vintage brunch or lunch (try Figaro Bistrot next door or Little Dom’s or All Time).

Sleeper & Silver Lake Flea (Echo Park)
Sleeper is one of those places where you stop in just to see how the owners think. The racks are full of exceptional vintage pieces, often designer, that lean toward the avant-garde. The women’s selection is spot-on always, including shoes and accessories, but it’s the menswear that reminds you of just how far we’ve fallen re: fast fashion. Take home a truly special piece that you’ll wear for years, then pass down to a child or niece or nephew. From Friday through Sunday, directly across the street, you’ll find the flea market — of the moment anyway — the Silver Lake Flea.

Staklena Kuca (Virgil)
Relatively new to the vintage scene of Los Angeles, Staklena Kuca is already a beloved destination, particularly amongst vintage professionals — you could call it “a vintage store’s vintage store.” Painted Bird (more on her racks at Worship Collective below) is involved in the project, as is a former co-owner of Sleeper. It’s also conveniently located in Virgil Village, an area that has exploded in recent years following breakfast hot spot SQIRL’s arrival in the area. Stop into Courage Bagels first to fuel up for working your way through the racks (there will be a line, but it’s worth it).

Worship Collective, Soft Humans, Bearded Beagle, Prelude & Dawn, & Wasteland (Highland Park)
Unquestionably, Highland Park is having a vintage renaissance (pun intended). Take a car from the LINE to Figueroa Boulevard, then walk several city blocks dappled with cafes, restaurants, and vintage stores known for their impeccable taste. Worship Collective is comprised of not one but several vintage dealers who share a space together, including Painted Bird, a buyer known for her unparalleled Japanese avant-garde selections. A few doors down, you’ll find Bearded Beagle, beloved for its extensive selection of vintage t-shirts, and Wasteland, a high-end secondhand chain (California only) where, with enough digging, you’ll inevitably score some gems. Across the street, you’ll find Soft Humans, an under-the-radar spot with carefully curated vintage for men and women. Finally, head a couple blocks down to Prelude & Dawn, where you’ll find pop-colored vintage clothes on display alongside boutique candles, chic bath goods, local ceramics, and other gift-friendly items.

Rose Bowl Flea Market, PCC Flea Market, & Surrounding Thrift Stores
Vintage aficionados talk about the Rose Bowl Flea Market constantly for good reason: it’s been the flea market destination in Southern California for over 50 years. Grab a coffee at Alfred and hit the road early to beat the crowds. (It will also likely take you three to four hours to traverse all the stalls.) The trick, though, is timing — the Rose Bowl only takes place on the second Sunday of the month. If your visit doesn’t coincide with that timing, check out the Pasadena City College (PCC) Flea Market, which lands on the first Sunday of each month. And, if you live for the challenge of thrifting, there are plenty of thrift stores around as well, including a Goodwill, Salvation Army and Salvation Army Antique Store (higher quality items), and the Huntington Collection resale shop.

If this round-up sounds like you should extend your trip, by all means. And a final tip from a fellow vintage-buying tourist: Pack a second duffel bag in your carry-on, in case you need to check a bag full of priceless finds on your way back home.