By Cher Liew Qian Er, Effa Athira & Jared Wong
As the popularity of a slow lifestyle gains traction in Singapore in the last few years, thrifting has become a hobby for many youths. Low prices, unique vintage finds – what’s there not to love? If you are someone who likes to check the quality of clothes before purchasing or even trying on articles of clothing, visit thrift shops for a guilt-free shopping spree as you get your hands on trendy camis and tops for less than $5, while also helping to save the environment. Whether you’re an avid shopaholic or someone who wishes to get more clothes on a tight budget, these offline thrift shops are sure to help!
1) Lucky Plaza
Nestled in the heart of Orchard Road, Lucky Plaza might be a place that you have heard before, with many teens describing it as a ‘thrifting heaven’ with affordable prices that range from as low as $2 for a single piece of clothing! Lucky Plaza is best known for Fleawhere and the Lucky Plaza Bazaar, however, in recent months, many more thrift shops have been opening on different floors of the mall as thrifting becomes more popular among youth. All these thrift stores are piled with clothes, so be ready to get your hands moving and dig before someone snatches your finds!
Lucky Plaza Bazaar, located on the 4th floor of Lucky Plaza, sells clothes, swimwear, bottoms and has recently expanded to a wider space in view of their rising popularity as more students populate the store in search of vintage finds.
Directly opposite Lucky Plaza Bazaar is Fleawhere, where a random assortment of phone accessories, bags, shoes are sold. Do not be surprised or disappointed by the humble shopfront of Fleawhere: walk in further and you’ll find plenty of stalls plying their wares!
These stalls rotate every weekend and can change as quickly as every few days so it never gets boring.
STORIES & CO. TIP! Watch out for the high volume of human traffic in Lucky Plaza during weekends, where there are more stores open, as well as avid shoppers like you looking to get their shopping spree fix! We recommend going there in the late afternoons on weekends, but for the best experience, head on over on weekdays.
Do note that Lucky Plaza now has restrictions to reduce overcrowding on weekends — visitors who have ID cards ending in an odd number can only enter on odd dates, and those with ID cards ending with even numbers can enter only on even dates.
Lucky Plaza
304 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238863
Business Operating Hours: 9am – 9pm daily
Expected damage: $1 – $10
1) Peninsula Plaza
Peninsula Plaza is often referred to as Little Burma. It was built in 1980 as a centre for the hundreds of thousands of Burmese living in Singapore to gather and get their essentials. The 30-storey building is surrounded by other shopping malls and eateries like Funan, and Raffles City Shopping Center and is a short walk away from City Hall MRT.
When inside, one will easily notice the wide array of thrift shops on the first floor and basement, with the mall itself giving a 90s, old-fashioned vibe. Although t-shirts and dresses are the main attraction, many shoppers go to Peninsula Plaza for shoes or bags as well. While most shops can only be found on the lower two or three floors, one can easily spend a few hours going through everything there and if nothing interests them, there are many other malls surrounding Peninsula Plaza which may catch the attention of shoppers.
STORIES & CO. TIP! Peninsula Plaza has the same entry restrictions as Lucky Plaza (see above) so if you find yourself unable to go in, do not fret! Take a quick walk over to nearby Peninsula Shopping Centre, where there are plenty of quirky shops peddling everything from glasses to guitars.
Peninsula Plaza
111 North Bridge Rd, Singapore 179098
Business Operating Hours: Mon – Sun: 8 am – 10 pm
Expected damage: $5 – $20
1) The Salvation Army
Being the largest thrift store in Singapore, The Salvation Army Praisehaven Mega Family Store located at Upper Bukit Timah Road has everything you could possibly need.
With a huge range of second-hand clothes, furniture, household items and even books, The Salvation Army sure has something for you. Knick knacks, such as small ornaments, can also be found in the store. They offer many clothes of different kinds (shirts, skirts, dresses etc) for both men and women with prices ranging from $5 to $15.
In addition, the store also houses an abundance of lightly worn bridesmaid dresses and many kinds of formal wear – perfect for cash-strapped teenagers who need that fancy dress to attend their prom!
STORIES & CO. TIP! We recommend that you budget enough time to browse the store thoroughly as The Salvation Army is really a treasure trove! It houses hidden gems and rare finds that can not be found anywhere else. The store is made accessible from the Downtown line’s Hillview station.
Salvation Army Praisehaven Mega Family Thrift Store
500 Upper Bukit Timah Road, S678106
Tel : +65 63495312
Business Operating Hours: Mon – Thurs: 10am – 6pm
Fri & Sat: 10am – 9pm
Closed Sundays
Expected damage: $5 – $15
While thrifting has definitely gained popularity over the past few years, many are still unaware of the ideal area to shop, or just a place to make a bang for their buck. The three shops that we have recommended are definitely a great way to begin your thrifting journey!
