As graduate students we live on a tight budget. Many of us are living on our own for the first time, moving to a new town, and having to furnish our new homes and update our wardrobe. Below is not a complete list of all second-hand stores in Rochester. The stores listed below are the stores I found had more affordable options and that I think more people should know about. Many of the stores listed sell second-hand housewares, furniture, clothing, and more. In all the stores listed, I found clothing sizes from XS to XXL. Accessibility is listed under “Features.”

Starting south of the University in Henrietta there are:

AMVETS, which has a selection of clothing, shoes, and accessories for women, men, and children, housewares, furniture, CDs, cassette tapes, vinyl records, DVDs, VHS tapes, and books. Most of the clothing is modern with some vintage clothing items ranging from the ‘80s to the early ‘00s. Unlike the majority of second-hand stores, there are more men’s clothing options including two-piece suits.

Features:

• Accessible entrance and wide aisles
• Small fitting rooms
• Easy to look through clothing racks

All proceeds go to the AMVETS organization which supports American Veterans, their families, and survivors. If you would like to donate your clothing, AMVETS offers donation pick-ups through their website: https://www.supportthevets.org/donate.

Plato’s Closet, which has modern clothing, accessories, and shoes for women and men. This store has about equal sized sections of clothing for women and men. Plato’s is always up to date on the current fashions and has a good selection on gym, casual, dress, and club wear.

Features:

• Accessible entrance
• Aisles are only wide enough for one person to walk through
• Tight clothing racks that are difficult to look through
• Small fitting rooms

Plato’s Closet buys gently used in-style clothing for cash. If you would like to sell your clothing you can inquire at each location about what they’re currently buying.

Moving west of the University to Plymouth-Exchange there is:

Rochester Greenovation, which is a giant warehouse full of furniture, housewares, media, and clothing. Make note that if you are walking to this store, the sidewalk ends and you will have to walk down a hill in the middle of the road. The store is only open Saturdays from 10am to 2pm while the store waits to obtain their Certificate of Occupancy. Be aware that the store is under active construction during store hours and there will be construction noise and minimal dust. If you can handle the noise and dust, there are incredible dining sets, old cookbooks, some vintage clothing, and a wall of books. Towards the back of the warehouse there is a small clothing section. The majority of the clothing are for women with one small section for men. The fitting room is being constructed at this time, so you can use their small restroom in the clothing section as a fitting room.

Features:

• Narrow and obstructed walking paths
• Small bathroom for a fitting room

https://www.rocgreenovation.org

Heading north to Upper Falls there is:

Fashion Works, which has modern clothing available for women and children. Note this store is only open Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm. Clothing is sold per how much can fit into one plastic bag. One bag of clothing is $5 each. Note this location is CASH ONLY.

Features:

• Accessible entrance
• Large fitting room
• Narrow aisles

Fashion Works is part of the Ibero-American Action League which helps the Latin community. Donations at Fashion Works are accepted Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 2:30pm.

https://www.ibero.org

In Marketview Heights there is:

Matthew’s Closet, which has clothing and accessories for women, men, and children, housewares, and limited media. The clothing sections are about equal for women, men, and children. Matthew’s Closet is a clothing ministry associated with the St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish. They support the community by providing free clothing to those in need and are also open to the public for shopping. The entrance is in the basement level and only accessible by stairs at this time as the lift is out of service. I was informed that a replacement lift will be installed in about 3 months. On Wednesdays there is a 25% discount on clothing.

Features:

• Lift out of service until about June
• Wide aisles
• Small fitting rooms

On their website they have a wish list of items the community is in need of. Part of their list asks for sneakers, housewares, blankets, sheets, and towels.

https://www.matthewscloset.org

In the Neighborhood of the Arts and North Winton we find:

The Lucky Flea Market, which is a year-round flea market with multiple vendors that often change each weekend. The flea is open every Sunday from 11am to 3pm. Over the fall and winter months the flea is hosted in Radio Social and over the spring and summer months it is held in the parking area behind the Village Gate Square. There are local artists, jewelers, crafters, and second-hand sellers at this flea. Throughout the year there are plenty of vendors that sell clothing for all the genders. Note that most of these booths do not have fitting rooms, so I suggest dressing to try on clothing over what you’re wearing.

Features:

• Accessible entrance and aisles at both locations

You can apply to be a vendor through their website: https://www.theluckyflea.com.

That’s it for my list and I hope you’re able to find some affordable cool threads and housewares!

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