For all you thrifty devotees and vintage tragics, here is a guide to the best op shops and vintage stores in the Potts Point and Darlinghurst neighbourhood.
Wayside Chapel Op Shop
29 Hughes St, Potts Point
A thrifting hub that needs to introduction, Wayside Chapel Op Shop is a subsidiary of the Wayside Chapel and a Potts Point institution, nestled in the leafy and glorious Hughes Street. The store is responsible for some of the most coveted items in my wardrobe. Wayside caters to those on all budgets, with a $5 rack where you’ll be privy to staples that one would fork out upwards of $90 for at any soulless General Pants or Glue Store operation; or if you’re lucky (and not on the skint final week of your monthly pay cycle) you’ll often find the most hallowed designer garbs.
There was one particular Saturday where the op shop God’s were looking down kindly on me and I picked up four Yohji Yamamoto garments and a Comme des Garçons dress, sublime.
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Potts Point Vintage
2/8A Hughes St, Potts Point
Saunter across the road and you’ll find yourself plunged into a vintage boutique that exudes the magic of a John Wayne western. If you want to feel like the leading neurotic in Cleo from 5 to 7 Potts Point Vintage is the best place to head to make all your dress-up fantasies a reality. Sift your way through their plushy archive of fur coats, cowboy boots and tasselled jackets.
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St. Canice Garage Sale
Roslyn Street
An offset of St. Canice church, this is a hidden gem I’m almost reluctant to share. If you take great pleasure in sifting through the trash in order to find the treasure, the St. Canice operation will certainly satisfy that desire. There’s an assortment of knick-knacks, books, clothing, shoes, manchester, pretty much everything you could imagine.
Kings Cross Community Centre Bookstall
50-58 Macleay St, Potts Point
Devastatingly, the coronavirus pandemic stripped me from one of my favourite area rituals; the Kings Cross Community Centre Op Shop. Thankfully, the ladies and gentleman continue to host a bookstall every Thursday. It’s cheap as chips, with all books costing a mere $2. It’s also a fantastic venue to get to know the local, beloved characters of the area. Come for a copy of A Little Life, leave with wisdom gleaned.
Blue Spinach
348 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst
This luxury consignment store is guaranteed to break your heart. If you have money, good for you, you’ll have a field day. If not, you will still find great joy in carefully inspecting the wears the Blue Spinach have to offer: think vintage Gucci, Prada, Chanel, all the glitz and the glamour of era’s bygone.
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Dust
28/381 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst
A teensy-weensy boutique with a lot of heart. You never know what you’ll come across during a visit to Dust. From retro dining sets, to erotic busts, to jewellery from foreign lands.
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