Evanston’s resale district, centered around Main Street and Chicago Avenue, can be covered in an hour or an afternoon. With Greek and Japanese restaurants, a few cafes and a handful of quirky stores, the resale shops of south Evanston are accessible with a six-minute Purple Line ride or a walk 25 minutes south of Northwestern’s Evanston Campus.
Second-hand stores are classified as either thrift shops, where merchandise is donated and proceeds go to charity, or resale shops, where the store owner buys second-hand items and sells them for more. Thrift stores usually are cheaper than resale, but you will have to sift through more oddball clothing.
Walking south on Chicago Avenue (saving the $1.75 El fare), the first second-hand shop is Viva Vintage, located at 1043A Chicago Ave., right past the Jewel-Osco at 1128 Chicago Ave. The small, well-lit shop has old hats, dresses, feather boas and various accessories. With retro sunglasses selling for $6 to 14, Viva is not a bargain basement. But if your old clothes pass the test, Viva will buy them, said store manager Amy Ernst Mayberry, Weinberg ’94. Viva does not offer a student discount.
"A lot of Northwestern students are too lazy to walk 10 blocks," Mayberry said. Although many students think of Belmont Avenue for vintage clothes, Mayberry said, "the smart ones would come here. It’s closer and a lot cheaper."
If you can’t stomach $14 earrings, walk south to the Junior League Thrift House at 920 Chicago Ave. This three-room shop has men’s, women’s and children’s clothes, as well as books, housewares, old computer hardware and board games. Brand-name shoes sell for $5 to 8, and store co-manager Maureen Iacullo said she found Ugg boots there for $8. Students receive a 10 percent discount.
"I just started budgeting," said Kristy Bowens, 23, a Chicago resident who was shopping at the store. "I’ll get a brand new outfit once a week and the rest I’ll come here for."
Across the street, at 915 Chicago Ave., is the Women’s American Organization for Rehabilitation through Training resale shop. Past the racks of clothes and shoes are books like "How to Fix Damned-Near Anything." ORT’s back section has tables, chairs and lamps. A lamp with no shade or bulb costs about $10. In the front, glassware and a clouded Gloria Jean’s coffee maker cram the shelves. Proceeds from ORT go to building technical and vocational schools in the U.S. and in Israel. There is no student discount.
Once you’re back on the street, turn left at the corner to reach Main Thrift Shop at 501 Main St. Narrow aisles are lined with chairs, desks, lamps, rugs, books, glassware and anything else that can fit. If your apartment is still bare, pick up three pieces of silverware for $1 or get a beige 6 inches by 9 inches area rug for $20. Manager Saraj Hakimi also buys used furniture. Main Thrift has no discount, but Hakimi said he is open to bargaining.
Finish your tour of south Evanston by walking a block to reach the Salvation Army thrift store, 528 Kedzie St. On the other side of Chicago Avenue is The Classy Closet, 701 Washington St.
If any of these shops is too far away, a closer option is The Crowded Closet, 824 Dempster St. Winter coats here can go for more than $100, but you can find turquoise and black leather Mexican-style boots for $20.
Like all clothing stores, Evanston’s second-hand shops follow the seasons. The Junior League’s sale is in the second week of February, Iacullo said.
But whenever you shop, don’t expect it to take five minutes, the store owners said.
"Thrifting is the kind of place where you should just spend a little time looking," Iacullo said. "It’s not going to pop out at you like it would at the Gap or Nordstrom’s."
If you have any dirt cheap suggestions, reach Daniella Cheslow at [email protected].
