Williamsburg's Best Vintage Shops

After getting off the subway, make your way down Bedford Avenue towards North 6^th street. Along the way you’ll find booth after booth of used books and vinyl records sold right on the street. Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Fleetwood Mac, you name it. The best part about independent sellers is the fact that you can negotiate the price, or buy multiple records for a deal.

The Artists and Fleas Flea Market, just off Bedford Avenue and North 6^th, is open every Saturday and Sunday from 12-8pm.

With over 20 vendors specializing in vintage clothes, shoes, and accessories, handmade clothing, jewelry, and repurposed vintage, you won’t get bored in here. The flea market is a great place to shop for gifts and for the outfit you never knew you needed—good quality vintage at a reasonable price beats expensive store bought clothes that don’t last.

On the other side of Bedford on North 6^th Street you’ll find an unmarked clothing boutique. This is Malin’s, a neighborhood staple. If you want to dress to impress, you’ve come to the right place. Malin is from Sweden and so are most of her clothes. Malin is usually in the store on weekends: tell her what you’re looking for and she’ll start pulling things off the racks for you to try on. You couldn’t ask for friendlier service.

One block south on Bedford you’ll find Ugly Luggage, a tiny antique shop with lamps, furniture, typewriters, and more. Most of the wares are affordable, but if you think one is overpriced the owner is comfortable to negotiate. Like the flea market, this store also features repurposed or refurbished antiques, so you don’t have to worry about your lamp going bust, since all of its circuits have been rewired.

Serving Williamsburg bookworms since 1999, Spoonbill & Sugartown has it all—used books, new books, and two store cats. The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. Shop for used fiction, philosophy, or cookbooks for about half of the list price.

If you didn’t find anything that caught your eye at the flea market or Malin’s, cross the street and head over to Amarcord, a boutique specializing in Italian vintage, hence its Fellini-inspired name. Though the prices here can be a bit steep, what you’re paying for is the expert curation of the store. There’s no rifling through racks of undesirable clothing. Nearly every piece at Amarcord is a work of art.

Your feet are tired and your arms are full of bags—finish off your vintage day with a vintage cocktail from speakeasy Hotel Delmano, down North 9^th on the corner of Berry. If you have no idea what you want, tell the bartender what alcohol and flavors you prefer and he or she will concoct something just for you. Toast yourself in this beautiful bar on your old-school shopping afternoon.