Beacon’s Closet
One of innumerable reasons people choose to come to NYC is shopping. OK, shopping is the No. 2 reason to come here, right after taking a gorgeous selfie in the middle of Times Square. No sooner than you say “New York”, people think of Macy’s, of all the Broadway stores below 14th St., as well as of TJ Maxx and Marshall on 6th Ave. Those in the know will probably head to Century 21, located near World Trade Center. I used to do that, too, until I discovered Beacon’s Closet. It has three branch stores – two in Brooklyn and one in Manhattan. Ever since I first went there, as soon as I think of shopping, I immediately think of Beacon’s.
It’s in fact a second-hand store, where everyone can sell their clothes. Most things are used, but all present excellent condition. They are ordered very tidily by color and nothing lies on the floor in an unorderly fashion. What’s important, the prices hover around $5 and higher. What’s even more important, the items carry brand tags that you often wish would be featured in your closet. Helmut Lang, Chloé, Ralph Lauren, Issey Miyake, Mark Jacobs, my favorite BCBG, All Saints and many others are present here and cost $10, $20, $30 or $40.
I’m by no means a fashionista and I don’t know much about fashion – I know several basic designers and sometimes I look at their collections, but I don’t really follow the latest trends. Still, I like designer brands, especially if the items are made of quality fabric. That’s why I like this store so much. It really feels great for me to buy a Lang shirt for $12 and snatch a leather vest at mere $10. I don’t feel too well at typical second-hand stores – I usually leave them the second I entered, since I feel there is too much of everything (and their smell is not always bearable), but I feel fantastic at Beacon’s and I recommend it to everyone. During my last visit in Greenpoint, I experienced a revelation – it happens that the very expensive things and regular-priced items are really not that much different from one another. Which only makes me even more convinced that it is sheer madness to pay a couple of hundred dollars for a piece of clothing when soon enough someone will get bored with it and sell it to Beacon’s. Which is where you will be able to buy it for $10 or less.
Visit their website http://www.beaconscloset.com/
Locations:
Greenpoint, 74 Guernsey St., Brooklyn
Park Slope, 92 5th Avenue, Brooklyn
10 W 13th St., between 5th and 6th Avenue, Manhattan
