Confused about where to start when it comes to thrift stores in Gainesville? Sam & Mariel have you covered.
Just like walking into a new home, every thrift store has its own distinctive smell. It may be the generic detergent used to wash every item, or the guy at the counter that grunts “Welcome in.” Either way, it’s become one of my new favorite scents, followed by (but not succeeding) old bookstores, fresh coffee, and my mother’s home cooked pastelón.
Once I realized that I would be moving away from home, jobless, and with a blossoming shopping addiction, a tiny part of me didn’t want to go. If clothes could lecture, teach me math, and serve as a lifelong mentor who I could one day be friend on Facebook, I wouldn’t have gone. But it’s a good thing I came. I met Mariel Wiley, our wonderful photographer who lacked a creative outlet the same way I lost mine when moving to Gainesville.
We quickly discovered how many thrift shops Gainesville has to offer, so we wasted no time in taking advantage and diving headfirst, barely able to catch our breaths with all our “oohs” and “ahhs.”
Through the lens of Mariel and I, we have explored just a few shops in town and handpicked some interesting finds. I now regularly sport a 1968 Boy Scouts of America button down and we hope our finds help you find your own.
A list of all the shops and Instagrams we found:
AUK Market (Ig: @auk_market)
La Chua Vintage (Ig: @lachua_vintage)
Sandy’s Savvy Chic Resale Boutique (Ig: @sandysresale)
Flashbacks (Ig: @flashbacksrecycledfashions)
Future Perfekt Vintage (Ig: @futureperfektvintage)