Shopping & Retail
Five spots to shop secondhand in Downtown Lancaster
Lancaster City is home to several vintage retailers who are making vintage fashion accessible. At each shop, you’ll find handpicked pieces that stand out from contemporary styles and serve as timeless looks for any season. These are just a few of the Lancaster City shop owners who know how to make shopping sustainable fashion a unique experience.
In need of a wardrobe refresh? Want to shop sustainably but not sure where to start? Lancaster City is home to several vintage retailers who are making vintage fashion accessible. At each shop, you’ll find handpicked pieces that stand out from contemporary styles and serve as timeless looks for any season. These are just a few of the Lancaster City shop owners who know how to make shopping sustainable fashion a unique experience.
Photo by Basura
Basura is home to some of the boldest and funkiest vintage items Lancaster has to offer. Owner and curator Jae Santiago fell in love with vintage fashion as a teenager when she started wanting more than just the styles available at the mall. In the years since her first encounter with vintage fashion, Jae’s love of eccentric clothing has only become greater. She brings her love of vintage fashion to Basura, stocking her store with a carefully curated selection of vintage Ts, denim jeans, and statement pieces for the vintage fashion fan.
The shop also recently got a fresh new coat of paint from our Spring Fresh Face, Pride Painting. Stop by the storefront to admire the new look and pick up a few additions for your spring wardrobe!
Find them at 106 East King Street | @digbasura
Redeux has everything from shoulder-padded blazers and leather jackets to vintage sports tees and perfectly-worn jeans. Redeux’s bright and colorful clothing displays will serve up plenty of inspiration for your spring outfit choices. Each corner of the storefront is filled with the best vintage fashion has to offer. Redeux also stocks accessories including jewelry and handbags that will serve as wardrobe staples and make every outfit pop. Located above Prince Street Cafe, Redeux is the perfect place to shop after a day at Central Market or exploring around Downtown Lancaster.
Find them at 17 North Prince Street | @redeuxvintage
Photo by Scarlet Willow
The Scarlet Willow is filled to the brim with vintage finds. Located on the 300 Block of Queen Street in Lancaster City, this sweet multilevel shop will make your vintage dreams come true. On the ground floor, you will find a variety of antique and vintage treasures and memorabilia, ranging from glassware to photographs. The upper level of the shop is lined with vintage T-shirts, dresses, blazers, and button-downs. Shopping at The Scarlet Willow will elevate your wardrobe with both unique and classic pieces. When it comes to sustainability, store owner Jodi Pabon says, “There are so many quality garments already in existence and not buying new helps lessen the environmental toll of modern clothing manufacturing. Vintage clothing checks all the boxes for reduce, reuse, recycle!”
Find them at 320 North Queen Street | @thescarletwillow
Building Character is home to over 70 independent shops, local makers, and vintage curators. Open seven days a week, it is one of the most convenient stops to add to your city shopping rotation. Building Character stocks a variety of vintage and consigned clothing items, but there are so many other unexpected delights in store when you visit the shop! Looking for a birthday gift for a friend? Pick up a piece of handcrafted jewelry or shop their selection of Lancaster-inspired T-shirts and swag. In search of new decor for your home? Shop the one-of-a-kind art pieces available throughout the shop. After you’ve spent time wandering the stands at Building Character, make sure you pop down the street to their sister store, Mad Cap.
Find them at 342 North Queen Street | @buildingcharacter717
Photo by Telltale Dress
Telltale Dress co-owners Alicia Byler and Leigh Moss are on a mission to blend modern and vintage styles together in one storefront. It’s all in the details at Telltale Dress. From the items in stock to the intricate product displays, each corner is decorated with intention. Alicia and Leigh value sustainability and are often sourcing inventory for the shop from local individuals, auctions, and estate sales in Lancaster County. Leigh says, “There is a thoughtfulness to integrating vintage and antique pieces into one’s home and wardrobe, a deliberateness. They require a bit more effort to find and take care of, and in this way they often become one’s most treasured objects.” Stop in at Telltale Dress and find the next treasure for your home or wardrobe!
Find them at 334 North Queen Street | @telltaledress
With each shop owner infusing their own unique taste and perspectives into their storefronts, vintage shopping in Lancaster is an experience that will feel more like a treasure hunt than a chore. That’s the fun of secondhand shopping—you never know what treasures you’ll discover!
