Have you been in sweatpants for the last 18 months? Need some new pieces to start the season right? Treating yourself to a few new outfits feels great, but with the proliferation of fast fashion brands, making sustainable, ethical choices can be difficult. It takes up to 2,700 litres of water to make one cotton shirt – that’s enough water to meet the average person’s drinking needs for two and a half years. Kingston is a great place to start shifting your consumer habits by taking advantage of the variety of thrift stores in the city. This season, it’s time to get thrifty!
The Goodway
844 Division St.
Weekdays 9 am – 5 pm, Saturday 9 am – 4 pm
Freshen up your wardrobe at The Goodway – a Kingston-specific shop that donates proceeds to a number of local charities and charitable events. You can find some cool clothing pieces as well as furniture and appliances here. New items are added daily too, so you’re sure to find something whenever you return. The Goodway is also dedicated to supporting community involvement. They believe in reducing barriers to employment and education, so they offer their volunteers and employees opportunities for skill development and work experience.
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YGK Thrift
165 Princess St
Monday – Wednesday and Sunday 10 am – 6 pm, Thursday – Saturday 10 am – 8 pm
Since opening in spring 2021, YGK Thrift has had crowds of people lining up to get in. You can find vintage and contemporary clothing here. Not only will you feel good supporting slow fashion, but all sales proceeds are also donated to Almost Home to help families with ill or injured children receiving medical treatment in Kingston area hospitals.
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Montreal St. Collective
39 Montreal St
Monday – Saturday 12 pm – 5 pm, Sunday 11 am – 3 pm
Montreal St. Collective is a thrifter’s dream. The store, which just opened in summer 2021, is co-owned by three partners, all avid collectors and curators. The diverse team works hard to offer a variety of curated clothing and home goods collections from different collectors. If you’re looking to browse before visiting, check out the shop’s Facebook page where item updates are often posted.
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SPECADIRT Vintage’s CornerShop
248 Wellington St
Tuesday – Thursday 12 pm – 5 pm, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 12 pm – 6 pm
CornerShop is one of the newest stores on the already vibrant Kingston thrifting scene. SPECADIRT – who are also co-owners of Montreal St. Collective – opened this new storefront on September 17, 2021. Locals are already raving about the space with its collection of local, classic ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s clothing. With its low cost and low environmental impact, thrifting is one of the coolest ways to play with throwback styles you’ve always wanted to experiment with.
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What’ll Wear
338 Princess St
Daily 12 pm – 5 pm
What’ll Wear has been around for the past 25 years, and it’s clear as to why. They’ve been offering awesome vintage and contemporary recycled clothing, accessories, and jewelry. You can find clothes for any occasion here, although their collection of classic costume jewelry, including rings, necklaces, bracelets, cufflinks, and belts can’t be beat. Stumped for Halloween costume ideas? This is the go-to place for costume party essentials as well – they offer year-round costume accessories like wigs, make-up, and masquerade eye masks. If you visit this small but mighty boutique, make sure to check out the original tin ceiling and wood floors.
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Dub Finds Thrift Shop
While Dub Finds doesn’t have storefront at this time, you can browse their collection at Montreal St. Collective. You can also snuggle up with a warm drink at home and “shop the highlights” on their Instagram page where they offer free local delivery and free shipping over $100. If you’re looking to really spice up your wardrobe, purchase their “mystery bundle” for $89 and receive a selection of pieces curated to surprise you.
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Simply New to You
83 Aberfoyle Rd
Tuesday and Wednesday 10 am – 3 pm, Thursday 10 am – 2 pm and 5 pm – 9 pm, Friday and Saturday 10 am – 4:30 pm
Simply New to You buys and sells brand-name kids’ clothing, accessories, shoes, and baby products. Their website is divided into helpful age group categories too – so you can match with your little one this season. Customers can also join their VIP group on Facebook to view new products.
Antique Alley
207 Wellington St
Sunday and Monday 11 am – 4 pm, Friday and Saturday 10 am – 5pm
Don’t judge a book by its cover, or a store by its storefront! Antique Alley may look like a tiny shop, but they have over 45,000 square feet of inventory. This has been downtown Kingston’s iconic antique and collectible shop for more than 44 years. Within the store, Kate’s Vintage Kloset offers dresses for every occasion (from many eras) as well as accessories. This is a wonderful place to combine your closet re-vamp with a few new home goods.
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Phase 2
353 Princess St
Monday – Saturday 10 am – 4pm
Established in 1980, Phase 2 Clothing and Uniforms is a vintage clothing store that also has a wide selection of new Queen’s University and St. Lawrence College apparel. Whether you want to add a cute plaid scarf to your wardrobe or pick up a Queen’s toque, this locally owned shop should be on your thrift list.
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The Revolving Door
500 Gardiners Rd
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 10 am – 4pm, Thursday 10 – 6 pm
Shopping at the mall doesn’t mean your wardrobe has to look like everyone else’s. Check out The Revolving Door, an upscale women’s clothing consignment store, located in the Gardiners Town Centre. Use this season to experiment with some nearly new designer and brand-name clothing and accessories.
In addition to these local treasure troves, you can also find some great clothing options at these tried-and-true chain stores:
- Value Village (1300 Bath Rd)
- Talize (540 Gardiners Rd)
- Mission Thrift (2455 Princess St)
- Salvation Army (472 Division St and 277 Bath Rd)
In Kingston, a new wardrobe is just around the corner – literally. Just because it’s second-hand doesn’t mean you can’t make a serious statement this season.
