Recently, thrifting has become a more mainstream way of shopping for clothes. I am an avid thrifter and have tried to check out every thrift store I have heard of in Philadelphia. However, none can compare to my experience at Bulk Vintage. I have found some of my most worn pieces at that store, and for an incredible price as well.
At a lot of vintage stores, you are paying for the curation of the pieces in the store. People have already gone through bins of clothes to pick out the best ones and arranged them in a thoughtful way throughout the store (for example, by color). Obviously, this will hike up the price of the clothes you buy in these stores. However, that’s not the case at Bulk Vintage. Bulk Vintage is a warehouse that is usually only open to wholesale buyers, but they allow the public to come the first weekend of every month, and occasionally on other days too. Bulk Vintage supplies Raxx Vintage, a vintage store on South Street, with all of their clothes. So, you know their selection is going to be good.
What You Need to Know:
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Go only on days that they are open to the public. As I said earlier, Bulk Vintage usually only sells to wholesale buyers. However, they dedicate specific days and usually the first weekend of every month to be open to the public. You should definitely follow them on Instagram if you want to keep updated on their hours.
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Try to go on the first day of the weekend. Typically for public weekends, Bulk Vintage is open Friday through Sunday. Going earlier in the weekend is always a good idea because people will be going through the clothes before you get there, and you might miss some of the best stuff. Don’t get me wrong, you still will find some amazing pieces, but there will be a larger selection in the beginning of the weekend.
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The clothes are organized in a specific way. When you walk into Bulk Vintage, you’ll notice it’s a huge warehouse. You might feel overwhelmed at first, but don’t worry. The bins around the warehouse are all organized into specific categories. They could be based on the brand of clothes or the type of clothes in the bin. For example, there are bins dedicated to blouses or button-up tops from different decades like the seventies or eighties. There are also bins for certain brands, like Harley Davidson. There is also an entire section devoted to really unique dresses!
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You’re going to have to work for it. The clothes are organized into brands or types of clothes, but you have to dig through the bins. When you enter, they will give you a bed sheet that you will spread out in front of a bin you want to go through, and you can take clothes out and put them on the bed sheet so you can dig through the entire box. It’s really fun, but you have to be up for the whole experience!
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There are no fitting rooms. For me, this isn’t an issue because I have a problem with the amount of jeans that I buy; I just know what my size looks like by holding up the pants I am looking at. However, if you can’t eyeball what you think would fit you, I would suggest wearing leggings and trying pants on over them or bringing a tape measure if you want to make sure that the measurements are what you want.
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Come with an idea of what clothes you need. Overconsumption is a huge issue in the fashion industry. People buy clothes that they don’t really need just because they want them. I am at fault for this too, but I am trying to be more conscious of my purchases and whether or not I really need them. Coming with an idea of what you need will also help you feel less overwhelmed by the amount of product in the warehouse, and can give you something to stay focused on looking for.
Bulk Vintage is definitely a unique place to shop for your clothes. There are a ton of thrift stores you could go to, but Bulk Vintage is one where you can find really unique clothes for a pretty good cost. I would recommend going if you are in the Philadelphia area and are looking to spice up your wardrobe! They have clothes that are unlike any that I have seen at other stores. You will definitely stand out in a crowd with the clothes you buy from Bulk Vintage. After you go once, you’ll be hooked!