Secondhand Finds

Secondhand stores give relics of the past new life and reward customers with the satisfaction of spontaneously wandering in and finding a one-of-a-kind item. Visit any of these stores, and you’ll find it to be true: they just don’t make them like they used to.

 

01 Find | Portland
Find has a selection of secondhand clothing in a boutique-style store on Free Street in Portland. Window displays include rows of boots tempting passersby inside. The small space has a rotating collection of clothes that zeroes in on the latest styles, such as Scandinavian minimalism and creative bohemian for women, and the dapper look for men. The store also stocks the New England heritage look, with vintage L.L.Bean items and American-made denim and plaid. New products come in five days a week and the latest acquisitions are uploaded to Instagram for far-flung fans to order.

02 Estilo|Brunswick
Brunswick attracts relic-seekers for the expansive Saturday flea market inside the Fort Andross Building on Maine Street. An eight-minute walk away is a white house with yellow shutters, home to Estilo, a consignment store for women. The store started in 2006 as a way for women and teens to buy affordable, high-quality clothes, and now some of the store’s favorite brands include 7 For All Mankind, True Religion, Anthropologie, and J. Crew. Drop off gently used items and receive 40 percent of the selling price; any clothes that don’t sell after six weeks can be picked up or donated.

03 Outskirts Vintage Clothing | Farmington
In Farmington’s downtown area is Outskirts Vintage Clothing. One can find early- twentieth-century dresses and jewelry, 1940s day dresses and rhinestones for cocktail attire. Owner Danielle Nault has a love of Victorian-era style as well as early-to-mid- sixties fashion, but also offers a mix of items from 1970s disco to wedding dresses. The quality of the clothing speaks for itself, as decades ago dresses weren’t mass produced, but custom made to fit just right.

04 YorkCommunityService Association’s Thrift Shop | Cape Neddick
York Community Service Association is an umbrella organization that includes a food pantry, family services, and a thrift store. The mission of the association is to help community members in need. The thrift store has two floors and 2,400 square feet of retail space. Items come through often and range from household appliances to children’s clothing. There are also book and holiday sections. The idea for the nonprofit store arose 50 years ago, and it has continued to be a way to give back to the community.

05 Portland Flea-for-All | Portland
In the Bayside neighborhood, you’ll find Portland Flea-for-All, a three-story antique and artisan marketplace with 50 different vendors contributing their constant finds. On the first floor are goods from vendors who sell on-site, and the top two floors house consignment antiques and housewares. Acquisitions depend on what the dealers have discovered; there’s usually a mix of early American, mid-century modern, and modern cottage styles throughout. Next door is Portland Architectural Salvage, where you can find unique reusable building materials such as stained-glass windows, natural fir French doors, and an inventory of hand-hewn beams.

06 Turn-Style Thrift Shop | Blue Hill
On South Street in Blue Hill is Turn-Style Thrift Shop. The smaller building opens up into a larger space that has clothing for men, women, and children at reasonable prices. Many of the store’s finds come from regular summer visitors to the area. Turn-Style’s audience is very wide-ranging, from those looking for affordable options to others who are in search of unique finds. All profit from Turn-Style goes to Tree of Life Food Pantry, which provides food for families on the Blue Hill peninsula.

07 My Sister’s Garage | Windham
Off of Route 302 in Windham, this charming red farmhouse is full of vintage antique finds. Inside, rustic furniture feels like it belongs on top of the wooden floorboards of the store. Items that go quickly include repurposed dressers, desks, trunks, tables, and bookcases. The store is run by two sisters, Jennifer and Sarah Tringali, and their stepmother, Renee Tringali. They document the latest finds on Facebook, and many items sell immediately after posting.

08 Arundel Flea Market | Arundel
With the warmer weather comes the Arundel Flea Market. Over 200 dealers set up on long wooden tables and sell their finds every day of the week; items are a mix of antiques, furniture, and garage-sale items. The market is family-friendly—there is a playground for children and dogs are welcome. Nearby Antiques USA is open 362 days a year and sells antiques, collectibles, and furniture that is at least 30 years old.

09 Big Chicken Barn Books and Antiques | Ellsworth
The Big Chicken Barn in Ellsworth has been in business for 28 years and is known for its size—the building is 300 feet long and three stories high. On the first floor 50 dealers bring in a variety of items, from midcentury collectibles to period antiques. On the second floor there are 20,000 magazines and 150,000 books, from just-printed to some that date back to the 1600s.

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