The Best Thrift Stores in New Orleans

Where Hollywood costume designers, thrift store owners, and other cool folks shop.

90's Kid Closet
Photo courtesy of 90's Kid Closet
Photo courtesy of 90's Kid Closet

With a history that stretches more than three centuries and a culture that’s steeped in costumes, New Orleans is a thrifer’s delight. Thanks to Mardi Gras and a number of other festivals that require dressing up, it’s not uncommon for New Orleaneans to have a dedicated costume closet in their homes—and y’all have to get those outfits somewhere, hence the growing number of secondhand stores in the city.

From bargain bins to high-end consignment shops and everything in between, New Orleans has thrift stores that will cover every budget and special interest. So we tapped experts including local shop owners like Jasmine Holzenthal and Jeff “Guitar” Nelson; Denise Wingate, the costume designer for the television Daisy Jones and The Six; and more to dish on their favorite shops to assemble this list of the best thrift stores in New Orleans.

Uptown
When shooting the hit TV series Daisy Jones and The Six on location in New Orleans, Wingate could be found searching the racks at Funky Monkey. Since 1997, this Magazine Street shop has curated contemporary trends and vintage items—and now a collection of clothing and accessories for men and women that will make all your rock ‘n roll fantasies come to life.

Uptown
The name really says it all for 90s Kid Closet. If you’re like a ton of others and want to revisit the decade of the 1990s, this place is for you. Have a blast in this time warp with nostalgic pieces that will keep you feeling young, plus jerseys for sports fans and kicks for sneakerheads, too.

Uptown
Asherah’s Closet is a quaint and cozy shop with nostalgic pieces from yesteryear, sourced from old school women’s shops in The South. The shop started as a way to showcase the owner’s jewelry business but has expanded to a full-scale used clothing store with men’s and women’s items. From an ornate golden 1950s belt in a distressed box to intricate jewelry that’s a bit more modern, Asherah’s Closet has it all.

Multiple locations
Bridge House is a community shop with two branches—one in Central City and one in Metairie. It’s another large scale store that contains everything imaginable and is ideal for days when you want to dig through the stacks to find a treasure or two. Proceeds support programs for those in recovery for substance use at Bridge House and Grace House.

Century Girl
Photo courtesy of Century Girl

Uptown
With a bright pink facade and voracious vintage shoppers passing through, you can’t miss Century Girl. The high-end vintage shop has offerings from Prada, Versace, Chanel, and other designer brands, plus curated pieces and even a full bridal section. This is one of Wingate’s faves for all the “beautiful things” lining her personal closet.

The Encore Shop
Photo courtesy of The Encore Shop

Uptown
Encore has a slick selection of apparel and accessories with high end brands such as Tory Burch and Missoni. The store opened in 1966 and carries mainly women’s clothing. Sales benefit the Louisiana Philharmonic’s orchestra, resulting in an average of $75K in donations each year.

Glue
Photo courtesy of Glue

Uptown
Glue is the brainchild of Jeff “Guitar” Nelson, a musician in The Big Kahuna Band and Orchid Room. After coming from Pennsylvania down South to play the blues, he opened this store in December of 2006 and it's been an Uptown mainstay ever since. Besides vintage clothing, the shop also carries vintage guitars and amps, so you can make music and look stylish while doing so.

High Vintage
Photo courtesy of High Vintage

Uptown
Located in the Riverbend area, High Vintage carries clothing and accessories from the 1970s-Y2K selected by founder Jasmine Holzenthal. She came back to New Orleans during the pandemic after a stint in Brooklyn and brought her good taste and style with her. The shop offers private shopping sessions that can be scheduled by direct messaging the shop’s Instagram account at least 24 hours before visiting. High Vintage offers a mix of price points with some designer pieces mixed in. On the weekends, you can find the shop at popups and markets around the city.

St. Bernard
Outlet Deals NOLA is a wonderland featuring 25,000 square feet of discounted finds. Each Friday, the shop puts out new items on a discount table and everything—from clothing and beauty items to electronics and toys—is $10 or less. As the week goes on, the storewide price point decreases by $2 every day.

Multiple locations
You can have double the fun at two Red White and Blue locations, one near Uptown in the Jefferson area and one on the Westbank (across the Mississippi River by bridge). The shop is cash only and locals swear by it for the huge selection of secondhand things for you and your household.

St. Bernard
Sister Hearts Thrift is just over the parish line near Holy Cross and the Lower Ninth Ward, a hop skip and a jump from the Bywater and Marigny neighborhoods. They have a rockin’ sale each week called Queer Monday, which runs from 5 to 7 pm. During the sale, all clothes are half off and everything else is 25% off.

Uptown
Besides having an awesome selection of clothing, Slow Down has a unique feature that sets it apart from other shops in the area. A “Little Free Closet” is out on display every Thursday, offering the same “take something, leave something” idea made popular by the Little Free Library. Inside, the shop offers vintage pieces and new, ethically made clothing.

Swamp Rags
Photo courtesy of Swamp Rags

French Quarter
Swamp Rags is a French Quarter mainstay. Whether you’re in the market for a sweet vintage find or nostalgic threads, Swamp Rags has you covered. And in addition to their throwback pieces, the shop also prints their own swaggy t-shirts on site.

Uptown
Swap Boutique is a designer consignment shop that has two Uptown locations. It was founded by Ben Kutell who splits his time between New Orleans and Miami. Swap offers high end designer brands such as Chanel, Gucci, Louboutin, Diane von Furstenberg, and more, but it also carries a smaller assortment of casual brands alongside the luxury offerings.

Westbank
Thrift City is on the Westbank and full of great finds for treasure hunters out there. It has a large array of clothing, home decor, and furniture, so there’s something for everyone. Every third Thursday of the month, the shop offers half off every item in the shop making it more than worth the trip across the bridge.

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Thuc Doan Nguyen is a contributor to Thrillist.