After paying for tuition, books, rent, utilities, groceries and possibly making a car payment, most students — even with the help of mom and dad — are left with very little cash to spend on their wardrobes. Luckily, Eugene has an abundance of second-hand clothing stores that offer a wide selection of fashions at affordable prices.
“Eugene’s a great market for second-hand shopping,” says Mary Koleto, manager at Buffalo Exchange, a new and used clothing store. Buffalo Exchange, located at 131 E. 5th Ave., carries everything from women’s chunky turtleneck sweaters and peasant tops to men’s cowboy shirts and vintage Levi’s jeans. Items usually cost between $12 and $17.
Traci Lynn, a regular Buffalo Exchange customer, said she does a lot of her shopping at second-hand stores.
“I shop at the mall sometimes, but it’s fun to come here because stuff here is unique, and it’s one-fourth the price,” she said.
If you visit Buffalo Exchange, expect to see colorful and funky clothes, as well as other items, including kitschy handbags and incense holders.
When taking clothes on consignment, Koleto and her staff look for garments that are interesting and in good condition. “(We look for) things that you can’t get anywhere else, current styles and vintage,” she says.
Just a few blocks from campus are several smaller second-hand stores along East 13th Avenue. These stores, including The Clothes Horse, Antrican, Nobody’s Baby and Eugene Jeans, are all great places to look for one-of-a-kind tops, pants and dresses.
Each store offers something different. While the Buffalo Exchange has a trendier selection, Nobody’s Baby and Puttin’ On the Ritz, located at 350 E. 11th Ave., have a more old-fashioned selection. Both stores have a range of dresses and suits from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s. Customers looking for less contemporary fashions might visit these shops.
“Stuff from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, comfortable pants and sweaters, dresses for cocktail parties,” are all popular items, says Amy Clancy of Nobody’s Baby. Clancy said Nobody’s Baby is a popular location with college students looking for outfits for theme parties and Halloween because the store mainly carries vintage clothes. Nobody’s Baby also has costumes for rent.
The stores also have more than just clothes. Puttin’ On the Ritz is also an excellent place to look for mod dishes and other housewares. For craftier types, Nobody’s Baby sells vintage patterns. The store also sells accessories — silk ties and leather saddlebags abound.
Clancy says she likes the older second-hand clothes because they are “made better, last longer, cheaper and you don’t have to worry about other people wearing the same thing.”
On the other end of the second-hand spectrum, stores like Goodwill, The Salvation Army and Value Village sell donated clothes instead of buying them on consignment.
These stores are good places to visit for more basic pieces. They generally offer the cheapest prices but because of the large size of the stores, shopping requires more effort. However, with persistence, one can find sweaters from name brands for about $4.50. If this is still too much for your budget, most items are half-off at Goodwill on the last day of every month. There are several Goodwill and Salvation Army stores in the Eugene area.
Whether customers are looking for reasonable prices on designer shirts or worn-out bell-bottoms, Eugene’s numerous second-hand stores offer something for everyone.
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