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Best of MPLS vintage
things to know
There are over 100 vintage stores in the Minnesota metro area. This is a rather daunting figure, and walking into a store without knowing what to expect can be kind of nerve-racking (and sometimes a waste of time). Below are a collection of some of my favorite vintage and secondhand stores in Minneapolis, with descriptions of what you will likely find there.
Little bit of Minneapolis history, mention of some of the older shops around town.
why vintage?
There are (surprisingly) more reasons for shopping vintage than just a raging individuality complex.
Often much higher quality than modern mass produced clothes. Typically made with better materials and with more thought put into their construction.
Reducing textile waste. “Textile production is the world’s second most polluting industry second to the oil industry accounting for approximately 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions” (Circular Economy and Sustainability of the Clothing and Textile Industry)
One-of-a-kind pieces. Unique pieces can allow you to find your personal style, and what you feel best in!
Photos taken by Renee DeMars Dehn
Fieldhouse
2213 1/2 Central Ave NE, MinneapolisTons of T-shirts, both masculine and feminine
Well decorated, has a changing room to try things on!
Reasonably priced
Photos taken by Renee DeMars Dehn
Water Wave TV.
1521 Como Ave SE, MinneapolisHas a large variety of shoes and sports merch
Mostly masculine clothing, 1 feminine rack
Good pricing, had a $2 rack last time I went
Photos taken by Renee DeMars Dehn
Mondo’s Apparel
Pop-ups around MPLS, often on UMN campusBoth feminine and masculine clothes, sorted by rack
Mainly vintage, Y2K + up-cycled clothing
Priced with college students in mind
Smile Back Vintage
718 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mostly masculine clothing, lots of T-shirts
Lots of UMN + sports merch
Higher prices, well curated
The Color Blue
2403 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis
Also has a rack in the Smile Back Vintage store!
Mostly feminine clothing, 90s/Y2K tops, skirts + dresses
Higher prices, well curated
There is so much great vintage around Minneapolis that it couldn’t possibly all fit it in one article. This map shows some more vintage stores around the city!
find even more vintage:
Tandem Vintage
Water Wave TV
Rewind
Olio Vintage
Moth Oddities
Chromatic
Time Bomb Vintage
Shop My Closet
Love Token
Hermine
vintage vs thrift
While both a means of acquiring secondhand clothing, there are quite a few differences between thrifting and shopping at vintage stores. One of the main things is price. When shopping at vintage specific stores, you are paying for the convenience of someone else finding and curating their collection for you. Thrifting is a ton of fun, but can take a lot of time, and you may not find anything you like. Of course you can do both, and get the best of both worlds!
keeping up with MPLS vintage
If you’re feeling inspired to get into the vintage scene, there is an amazing community (with great outfits), willing to welcome you.
Minneapolis Vintage Market is a group of vendors that come together host monthly pop-ups that have one-of-a-kind finds. They have a list on their website of upcoming events, with locations like the Gay 90s and Machine Shop in the next few months. All of the Instagrams above are great to follow if you want to stay up to date on upcoming vintage events, but @mplsvintagemkt is a must.
get out there!
There are so many places where you can find what you need to complete your new favorite outfit, especially here in Minneapolis. If you have not yet been to a vintage store, I encourage you to pick a place that piques your interest and stop in! They would love to see you there. If you frequent vintage stores like the ones above, find one you haven’t yet been to and support a local small business.