While living in Lakeview, I fully embraced the wide variety of amazing thrift shops within walking distance of the Belmont El stop. If you’re looking for books, vintage clothing, or a crazy costume, all of the thrift stores in Lakeview will fill the constant itch to find the next great deal. While I personally fell head over heels in love with The Brown Elephant; The Hollywood Mirror, Belmont Army, Ragstock, and even Beatnix come to mind when I think back on the thrifting mecca that is Lakeview.
The Belmont Army
A stone’s throw from the Belmont El Stop, The Belmont Army is Chicago’s largest independent fashion boutique. In addition to having a wide selection of skateboarding gear, the fourth floor is the Belmont Army Vintage shop. Reasonably priced and always increasing with new merchandise, the vintage shop has more sophisticated finds and a lot of their stuff has already been looked through and priced accordingly. If scrummaging through big boxes and bidding is your thing, The Belmont Army isn’t for you. If you like vintage trends and don’t mind paying a little bit more if the item has already been cleaned and presented, this is your place. While shopping here I gravitated toward their jewelry and large selection of scarves. A floor lower is a military surplus store as well.
The Brown Elephant
A bookworm at heart and collector, The Howard Brown: Brown Elephant Thrift Store was my favorite store in all of Lakeview. Revenue from the shop is donated to the Howard Brown Health Center which serves under or uninsured individuals. Found in the bustling Boystown neighborhood, The Brown Elephant is located on North Halsted. According to their site, over 220,000 people visit and 740,000 items are sold annually from their many stores scattered around Chi-town. With unbelievable prices, this shop is like a huge yard sale. You can find furniture, stylish shoes, and lots of coffee table books priced to go. Over the year we lived in Lakeview, we purchased a lot of artwork and books from the shop and hauled them all the way to Ohio with us. On Sunday’s the place is packed and it’s always a good idea to offer lower prices than marked.
The Hollywood Mirror
On Belmont near The Belmont Army and other great shops, The Hollywood Mirror is a work of art in itself. With a mix of new and used items, this quirky shop is fun to shop in and explore. From Virgin Mary lighters to hundreds of bandanas, the offerings here may take you hours to go through. One of my favorite places to grab novelty gifts and vintage clothing, The Hollywood Mirror has lots of interesting costumes and ridiculous hats. I remember in particular purchasing a gift here but keeping it for myself instead because it was so cool. In addition to adult clothing items, there are baby items and kid’s vintage toys.
Ragstock
Ragstock, like The Hollywood Mirror offers both new and recycled items for you to sort through. With stores all over the United States, Ragstock in Lakeview has tons of great recycled items that are gently used. A little bit more expensive than the typical thrift store, Ragstock specializes in designer finds and specialty items like leather jackets. New tank tops range from $10 to $13 and recycled 90s windbreakers go for about $20. A great store to find a stylish pair of shoes, this store is a gem and you’ll want to visit often to check out their ever-changing merchandise.
Beatnix
In North Halsted lies Beatnix, the one stop shop for anything fabulous and outrageous. Another thrift store specializing in costumes, this boutique has hundreds of feather boas and lots of bling. Many who stumble upon this shop in the heart of the Gay Chicago community fall in love and stay for hours. You can arrive here quick by getting off at the Addison Red stop on the EL. Always open late, Beatnix is an eclectic shop and you will surely find at least one new treasure. Keeping in mind that this store is on North Halsted, you can find a lot of Drag Queens here in the evening looking for platform heels or a matching bag. If you don’t go for anything else, people watching here is always a joy.