Thrift shops of Seacoast: Here are best stores to purchase new-to-you clothing

Aqeel Hisham, Portsmouth Herald
·8 min read

Fall has arrived, and with the new season comes a new wardrobe. But whether you’re looking for a classic trench coat or a cozy cashmere sweater, shopping for new clothing (and accessories) shouldn’t break the bank.

Thrifting, or secondhand shopping, has become a popular trend in recent years, driving fashion enthusiasts — especially Gen Z — into vintage and thrift stores looking for the best bargain. Who could forget YouTube sensation Emma Chamberlain's thrift haul or model Bella Hadid's coveted vintage pieces? All you really need is patience and a good eye.

A shopper sifts through the clothing racks at the vintage shop Cotillion Bureau, located on Bow Street in Portsmouth.
A shopper sifts through the clothing racks at the vintage shop Cotillion Bureau, located on Bow Street in Portsmouth.

Whether you are thrifting for a one-time look or a new wardrobe in general, it’s also good to be sustainable while being stylish. From London Fog trench coats to LL Bean cardigans, Stuart Weitzman pumps to Manolo Blahnik purse, here are the top picks (in no particular order) where you can purchase new-to-you clothing this fall.

Best Seacoast thrift shops on a budget

When it comes to purchasing secondhand, we all know the likes of Savers, Goodwill and The Salvation Army, and they are amazing options. But if you're looking for something different, check out these stores.

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The Fabulous Find, Kittery, ME

Just minutes off the Portsmouth bridge at 139 State Road in Kittery, Maine, is The Fabulous Find, a nonprofit resale boutique that benefits local charities. Items in store are all donated from the community, and profits go to three different charities each month. The Fabulous Find has donated more than $2 million to different charities over the past decade.

A woman searches for shoes at the Fabulous Find in Kittery where the nonprofit has given over $2 million to area non-profit organizations.
A woman searches for shoes at the Fabulous Find in Kittery where the nonprofit has given over $2 million to area non-profit organizations.

As the name suggests, the items that you’ll find in this store are truly fabulous. From a women’s Yves Saint Laurent blazer to a men’s Diesel leather jacket, The Fabulous Find gives both quantity and quality.

Other sections in the store include housewares (fall-themed dishes, tables, outdoor chairs, etc.), a book nook, and a jam-packed sale section, where almost everything and anything is below $10. With all the options, you will not leave this store empty-handed — I know I didn’t.

A shopper looks around at a variety of items at the Fabulous Find in Kittery.
A shopper looks around at a variety of items at the Fabulous Find in Kittery.

The Fabulous Find is open Wednesday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Second Generation Thrift Shop, Greenland, NH

Right off Route 33 at 9 Tide Mill Road in Greenland, Second Generation proves that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. The white building may look old and the stairs certainly creek, but beyond that, are items that will give you the best bang for your buck.

The first floor of Second Generation offers a wide array of baby items. Think onesies for newborns, baby walkers and baby swings. Why pay for new when you can get almost new at a fraction of the price? Especially since they won’t fit into those clothes after a couple of months. There are also plenty of toys to choose from.

Second Generation Thrift Shop at 9 Tide Mill Road in Greenland offers clothing for babies all the way to business wear. All the profits go to New Generation, Inc., an emergency homeless shelter for pregnant and single mothers on the Seacoast.
Second Generation Thrift Shop at 9 Tide Mill Road in Greenland offers clothing for babies all the way to business wear. All the profits go to New Generation, Inc., an emergency homeless shelter for pregnant and single mothers on the Seacoast.

Upstairs is where the parents — or anyone else — get to shop. A $35 Hugo Boss wool coat? Check. A Brooks Brothers’ parka for winter? Check. There are many quality options for women, such as Steve Madden boots and blazers from DKNY and BCBGMAXAZRIA.

All the profits go to New Generation, Inc., an emergency homeless shelter for pregnant and single mothers on the Seacoast. The shelter is located right behind the thrift store.

Second Generation Thrift Shop is open Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Fabulous Find in Kittery in a nonprofit organization that has given more than $2 million dollars to many area nonprofits in the years it has been in existence.
The Fabulous Find in Kittery in a nonprofit organization that has given more than $2 million dollars to many area nonprofits in the years it has been in existence.

Echo Thrift Shop, Durham, NH

Located just outside of downtown Durham at 17 Main St., Echo is a volunteer-run thrift shop collaboration between nonprofit organization Friends In Action and the Community Church of Durham, with 100% of its profit going to other local organizations.

Fall is the season of knits — think cardigan, sweaters and pullovers — and Echo has a lot of them. From Talbots cardigans for women to Columbia down jackets for men, buying from Echo also means giving back.

The store also has a lot of colorful accessories (necklaces, bracelets, etc.) and shoes of various designs for both men and women.

Echo Thrift Shop is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Topanga Canyon, Durham, NH

Though it’s located smack in the middle of downtown Durham, not many know of Topanga Canyon at 13 Jenkins Court unless you’re a local or a University of New Hampshire student. But if you managed to find your way, this secluded spot is a '90s fashion dream with its pink walls and colorful windbreaker jackets.

Topanga Canyon Vintage at 13 Jenkins Court Suite 110 in Durham offers an eclectic mix of '90s fashion and more.
Topanga Canyon Vintage at 13 Jenkins Court Suite 110 in Durham offers an eclectic mix of '90s fashion and more.

Topanga Canyon prides itself on being the “friendliest and most affordable thrift and vintage clothing” on the Seacoast, offering “hand-selected” and “curated” high-quality clothing that isn’t fast-fashion. From a jacquard blazer to a faux-fur jacket, a fringed leather bag to vibrant-colored lingerie, items from Topanga Canyon are for the ones who want to stand out and not blend in.

From sizes XS to 3X, this inclusive space celebrates all identities with its unisex clothing, all of which are $30 and under. One cool feature the shop offers is custom and reworked items — clothing upcycled into something completely new. Think of two different button-ups with each half being sewn together. The store also has a formal section for those last-minute events.

Topanga Canyon Vintage at 13 Jenkins Court Suite 110 in Durham offers an eclectic mix of '90s fashion and more.
Topanga Canyon Vintage at 13 Jenkins Court Suite 110 in Durham offers an eclectic mix of '90s fashion and more.

Topanga Canyon Vintage is open Wednesday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Best Seacoast high-end vintage/consignment stores

Most items made from luxurious materials only get better with time. Now, if you’re looking to splurge on quirky designer clothing without sacrificing quality, these curated vintage stores should be your go-tos.

Cotillion Bureau, Portsmouth, NH

If its window display doesn’t entice you enough to enter, how about the rows of colorful vintage clothing? Located at 65 Bow St. in Portsmouth, Cotillion Bureau offers an eclectic mix of shopaholic dreams.

From a pair of beaded, purple Escada jeans to green tweed dresses, a yellow Dior shirt to the classic Burberry trench coat, all you need is one item from Cotillion Bureau to level up your outfit. If Carrie Bradshaw’s closet was a store, this would be it.

The vintage shop Cotillion Bureau is located on Bow Street in Portsmouth and will strike a nostalgic chord in shoppers when they go through the door.
The vintage shop Cotillion Bureau is located on Bow Street in Portsmouth and will strike a nostalgic chord in shoppers when they go through the door.

The store also offers plenty of funky prints straight from the '70s, '80s and '90s. For accessories, try the purple suede Manolo Blahnik clutch, and for sunny fall days, pick up an oval-shaped pair of sunglasses to complete your look.

Cotillion Bureau is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Clothing worn in the past and still in excellent shape are sold at the vintage shop Cotillion Bureau, located on Bow Street in Portsmouth.
Clothing worn in the past and still in excellent shape are sold at the vintage shop Cotillion Bureau, located on Bow Street in Portsmouth.

Esta, Portsmouth, NH

Once you’re done with Cotillion Bureau, step into Esta next door at 67 Bow Street in Portsmouth. Past its packed racks of clothing, I find Esta’s accessories section — particularly its bags and shoes — to be the most unique.

Inside a glass case, close to the entrance of the store, sits Esta’s most prized possessions, ranging from a Valentino bucket bag, Prada wedges and the ever-classic Chanel ballet flats.

Atop one of the single shelves sits a black, alligator (could be embossed leather) handbag, which I was told came straight from the streets of Italy. There’s also a pair of flats from Salvatore Ferragamo, which one could never go wrong with.

Esta at 67 Bow Street in Portsmouth is where "old money" aesthetic comes to life.
Esta at 67 Bow Street in Portsmouth is where "old money" aesthetic comes to life.

Esta also offers a wide array of women's clothing, with blouses from Tory Burch and Eileen Fischer and a red-and-black polka dot dress from Joseph Ribkoff. For some, the rows of muted selection may be stale, but for others, it’s an old-money aesthetic that comes to life.

Esta is open Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

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Wear House, Portsmouth, NH

Located at 101 Market St. in Portsmouth, the brick walls and industrial clothing racks in Wear House give an essence of what it feels like to shop at the intersection between Rag & Bone and The Row.

Handbags from Marc Jacobs and Burberry hang from the wall, while a Rag & Bone knitted blazer, Prabal Gurung cape and a toffee-colored Chanel sweater fill the racks. The store’s outerwear section also features an LL Bean leather varsity jacket and other wool coats.

Near the store’s entryway is a wooden shoe rack with an eclectic mix of footwear. Think Fendi pony hair clog, Ralph Lauren Purple Label gold loafers or the cult-favorite Golden Goose sneakers. If you’re looking to add an edgy piece of clothing, Wear House is your right stop.

Wear House is open Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hello Again, Dover, NH

Cotillion Bureau’s little sister, Hello Again at 270 Central Ave. in Dover, is known for its window display — mannequins with animals’ heads. Perhaps that's why this is one of Dover’s hottest spots, even winning Best of NH 2023 in the vintage store category.

Hello Again features a wide array of denim selection, which is the store's specialty according to owner Rebecca Earle.
Hello Again features a wide array of denim selection, which is the store's specialty according to owner Rebecca Earle.

From flannels to cardigans, Hello Again has it all, but its specialty is denim – if you could think of a style, chances are they have it at Hello Again. Flared jeans to mimic the '70s? Check. Acid-washed denim for funkiness? Check. Super rare 1970s Levi’s? Check.

Whether you have the style of a farmer in the fall or a pumpkin-spiced girly, Hello Again is a one-stop shop for a fashionable fall moment.

Hello Again is open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Hello Again features vintage high quality clothing for customers at affordable price points.
Hello Again features vintage high quality clothing for customers at affordable price points.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Here are top thrift shops and vintage stores in Seacoast NH