Istanbul’s Top 10 Secondhand Clothing Shops

Istanbul’s top ten secondhand clothing shops are easily accessible from the city’s main pedestrian drag, Istiklal Avenue, highlighted in blue on the map.

Until recently, Istanbul’s secondhand clothing culture had been minimal, confined to costume shops, small racks in antique stores, and “eskicis” — old men wheeling carts of used items around the streets of the city. But secondhand clothing stores are now on the rise in Istanbul. Several excellent options have opened in fashionable central neighborhoods such as Galata and Cihangir. Always check online before to make sure the shops are still open.

Secondhand clothing stores are better for the environment and better for your bank balance. You’re also guaranteed to find a one-of-a-kind piece. What’s not to love? For anyone trying to avoid the flashy department stores and have a more eco-friendly shopping experience in Istanbul, Green Prophet has assembled a handy guide to the city’s top ten secondhand clothing stores, with an interactive version of the above map here or below.

1. By Retro Suriye Pasajı, İstiklal Caddesi 166C, Beyoğlu, 0212 245 6420

Featuring a dazzling array of vintage clothing from the past half-century, By Retro is Istanbul’s oldest and largest secondhand clothing shop. Men and women can browse a vast selection of retro fashions, from evening dresses to peacoats, vintage sunglasses to chandeliers, glittery heels to winter boots, as well as various household furniture and accessories. By Retro is located just off of Istiklal Avenue, in Suriye Passage – watch for the store’s sign and small display as you’re walking down the avenue, and you can’t miss it.

Price of a summer dress: 40 TL ($22)

2. Nahıl Bekar Sokak 17, Beyoğlu, 0212 251 9085

Originally founded as a handicrafts shop supporting Turkey’s Foundation for the Support of Women’s Work, Nahıl is also one of Istanbul’s least-known secondhand clothing treasures. With two rooms of gently used dresses, blouses, pants, skirts, shoes, jewelry, and a menswear section upstairs, all supplied by donations to the foundation, Nahıl’s prices come closest to those of Goodwill or other major secondhand chains that don’t exist in Turkey. Pick up a handmade soap, journal, or doll in the front on your way out – it all supports a very worthy cause.

Price of a summer dress: 15 TL ($8)

3. Eleni Vintage Kuloğlu Mh, Adile Naşit Sokak 3, Cihangir, Beyoğlu, 0532 506 5019

One of the newest additions to Istanbul’s secondhand clothing scene, Eleni Vintage just opened four months ago in Istanbul’s bohemian Cihangir neighborhood. Despite this recent opening, owner Eleni Özgür has already amassed a very respectable selection of women’s clothing, accessories, and small furniture. Prices are a little on the higher side, but the quality of the items merits that. Especially charming is the whimsical display.

Price of a summer dress: 50 TL ($28)

4. mozk Kuloğlu Mh, Ağahamam Sokak 13/B, Cihangir, Beyoğlu, 0212 252 3499

Istanbul’s priciest secondhand clothing shop by far, mozk has survived long enough to prove that demand exists for the very high-quality vintage pieces they have on offer. Arranged like the rooms in a house of extremely well-dressed ladies, the clothing displays are in magnificent wardrobes, most of which are also for sale. Other furniture and accessories (think vintage perfume bottles and costume jewelry) are also tastefully arranged on mozk’s two floors. A perfect place to splurge on a beautiful dress with a clean green conscience.

Price of a summer dress: 90 TL ($50)

5. myPERA Kuloğlu Mh, Altıpatlar Sokak 2A, Cihangir, Beyoğlu, 0212 292 51 87

Anyone who has wandered through Cihangir before will recognize the lovely outdoor displays of myPERA, one of the neighborhood’s oldest secondhand stores. Conveniently located just next door to a used shoe-seller, this cosy little corner shop contains some real gems in its limited space. Owner and fashion designer Türkan Rodoplu is always helpful and ready with fashion tips. Equal parts vintage boutique and thrift shop, myPERA is a must-visit for any secondhand shopper in Istanbul.

Price of a summer dress: 40 TL ($22)

6. Binbavul Şahkulu Mh, Galip Dede Caddesi 66, Galata, Beyoğlu

Tucked underground in a building just off Galip Dede Street, the hill that winds down from Istiklal Avenue to Galata Tower, Binbavul feels like a pirate cave. Half the fun is in exploring the various clothing racks and accessory displays in the dim lighting of the shop. Vintage delights such as record players and old accordions can be purchased here, as well as more ordinary items. Although in the pricier range of Istanbul’s secondhand shops, Binbavul’s wide selection contains treasures for everyone.

Price of a summer dress: 70 TL ($39)

7. Atölye Dö Bora Serdar-ı Ekrem Sokak 8-A, Galata, Beyoğlu

Although it’s at the top of its street, the underground den of Atölye Dö Bora is hard to spot unless you know to look for its display of vintage televisions, roller skates, and clothing hanging outside. From the fun name (“Atölye Dö Bora” is Turkified French for “Atelier de Bora”, or “Bora’s Workshop”) to the quirky combination of clothes and vintage accessories and electronics inside, Atölye Dö Bora is a unique secondhand experience in Istanbul.

Price of a summer dress:  50 TL ($28)

8. Molly’s Cafe Bereketzade Mh, Camekan Sokak 1, Galata, Beyoğlu

One of Istanbul’s favorite expatriate hangouts, Molly’s Cafe has become a Galata institution. Part cafe, part secondhand clothing and bookshop, part boutique, this inviting space just beneath Galata Tower has a mix of used items and new ones. At 5 TL ($3) each, the stacked shelves of used books are a steal – and the cafe is the perfect place to read them, or to catch some local authors and poets giving a reading.

Price of a summer dress: 30 TL ($17)

9. The Works – “Objects of Desire” Faik Paşa Caddesi 6/1, Çukurcuma, Beyoğlu, 0212 252 2527

Like an old curiosity shop, every inch of this longstanding secondhand store is covered with intriguing antique items for sale, from old photographs, movie posters, and jewelry to bird cages, vintage games, and taxidermied animals. The clothing section is a small room in the back, and while it’s not the main attraction, some interesting pieces can be found. The store’s slogan says it all: “for the slightly deranged collector seeing identifiable memories.”

Price of a summer dress: 15 TL ($8)

10. Mine’s Shop Kuloğlu Mh, Maç Sokak 3, Cihangir, Beyoğlu

This secondhand shop in Cihangir has just moved indoors from its habitual stall at a corner of two main streets in the fashionable neighborhood. It’s such a casual place that it doesn’t even have a name, but its friendly blonde owner, Mine, is always sitting outside, ready to welcome customers in and help them find some clothing to their liking. A mix of quirky vintage pieces, costumes, and used clothing in piles in the back, Mine’s shop is secondhand culture at its most local and grassroots. It’s just one more sign of how Istanbul’s used clothing industry is becoming more organized and accessible to the general public.

Price of a summer dress: 30 TL ($17)

Author: Julia Harte

Julia spent her childhood summers in a remote research station in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, helping her father with a 25-year-old experiment in which he simulated global warming over a patch of alpine meadow. When not measuring plant species diversity or carbon flux in the soil, she could be found scampering around the forests and finding snowbanks to slide down. Now she is a freelance journalist living in Istanbul, where her passion for the environment intersects with her interest in Turkish politics and grassroots culture. She also writes about Turkish climate and energy policy for Solve Climate News.

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