Since I’ve moved to Bushwick, everyone who visits makes it a point to disappear around the corner for a dip into Urban Jungle Vintage, returning completely different: sporting ironic neon green children’s sweatshirts, wearing all-black outfits without getting them washed first, carrying back garbage-bags of cowboy shirts. My roommate and I share laughs over this, but it’s become such a common and entertaining theme that nowadays, I just take my guests straight there. I watch them walk through the warehouse door into the cavernous fluorescent-lit room and set eyes on the racks and racks of clothing. Usually they will go straight to a rack and start flipping through just to make sure it’s real. Common exclamations include, “It’s not picked over!” “This is so overwhelming!” “Holy shit, I can’t believe I just found this!” and “This is so cheap.”

For the most part, it’s all true. It’s not picked over: You can still find a beautiful scarf in less than three minutes. If you don’t find anything in the first rack of dresses, there are at least seven others to go through, from prairie dresses with lace collars to 70s evening wear. Trucker hats galore, aisles of skirts and blouses, some amazing vintage purses and bags, even some household items in back. Boys tell me the t-shirts and button-up shirts are endless. Nothing is over $10 except for the coats in the back. There are fitting rooms AND a bathroom (which is actually a big plus for the especially long ventures which are kind of necessary considering you have to go through every rack since everything is only generally organized by clothing item).

top left — It’s a jungle in here.
bottom left — Alice: “This is a perfect hat for a tragic funeral on ‘Dynasty.’”
right — Elena: scoping out the shoes.

There are tons of vintage stores in Bushwick, but this one is one of my favorite so far. The owners even have a blog where they post incoming prize items.

Urban Jungle Vintage
120 Knickerbocker (between Flushing and Thames)
Open 7 days, 12pm-7pm | 718-497-1331