Featured Image Courtesy of Strawberry Mountain BST
Ask the thrifters in your life about their superstitions, and they’ll each tell you something different. Don’t get a cart when you first walk in, or you won’t find anything worth buying. If you donate your best pieces as a sacrifice to the Thrift Gods instead of selling them on Depop, the Gods will make sure you’re rewarded on the next trip.
Since the practice is so often right-place-right-time, thrifting sometimes feels like religion. In reality, it’s a mix of patiently looking through every single section, knowing what traits make up high quality finds and visiting that right place frequently enough that the right time can’t miss you.
Sometimes, you just have to start a notes app list on your phone like a prayer, and thrift every Saturday for the next two decades until every item is checked off. Other times, though, you can learn from those who thrifted before you, and, at the very least, narrow down the best-bet spots for finding specific items.
This guide is just a starting point, covering one section of category of secondhand gems that is often hard to navigate if you don’t know where to look: accessories.
Five Places to Shop for Secondhand Accessories in the Denver Metro Area
Accessories are arguably the most crucial element of style — and one the hardest categories to thrift if you’re looking for something super specific. While this list of secondhand stores in Denver is not exhaustive by any means, it highlights five of the most reliable heavy-hitters in the scene when it comes to high-quality accessories.
For Affordable Basics and Wildcard Finds:
Arc Thrift Store (Bear Valley)
3125 S Sheridan Blvd, Denver, CO 80227
Mon-Fri: 9AM-9PM; Sat: 8AM-9PM; Sun: 10AM-6PM
Every Denver thrifter worth her salt knows that if you prefer racks over bins, Arc beats Goodwill every time.
Each Arc Thrift Store location has its strengths, and the Bear Valley one is a prime spot for accessories for a few key reasons. First, the store is huge. As a result, the shoe section is extensive, the bag section is always well-stocked and there’s plenty of caps at the end of each aisle to hold scarves, hats, belts, bandanas and little plastic bags of barrettes and other small hair accessories. The items on these end-caps are typically priced fairly, meaning it’s easy to quality “starter” accessories (and the occasional varsity pick) for a good deal.
Plus, while the jewelry section at this location is sometimes hit-or-miss, the Bear Valley Arc commonly has mystery jars in their glass jewelry case. If you happen to stop by when the stars align (aka on a Saturday where the mystery jars are not only stocked but are tagged with a color that is half off), you can get a little surprise haul dopamine hit that won’t cost much.
For Sterling Silver and Antique Jewelry:
Brass Armadillo Antique Mall
11301 W Interstate 70 Frontage Rd N, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
Open 9 am to 9 pm daily
Sure, Brass Armadillo may seem intimidating to the casual thrifter. Its long aisles of glass cases and vendor booths may seem endless (and maybe haunted?), but for those with a keen eye and the patience to explore, the search is more than worth it.
Branding itself as “Denver’s vintage paradise,” Brass Armadillo is perhaps the most reliable place in the city for true antique jewelry made from sterling silver, turquoise and other precious metals and gems. If you’ve got a semi-specific item on your thrift wish list, such as “vintage belt buckle,” or “chunky ring,” Brass Armadillo is a safe bet for finding what you’re looking for (and maybe something you’re not looking for, if a paranormal spirit living in an antique doll follows you out of there).
For Grail Finds and Wearable Art:
The Common Collective
613 E 13th Ave, Denver, CO 80203
Mon-Fri: 11AM-5PM; Sat-Sun: 10AM-6PM
The Common Collective is one of those shops where you’ll always leave with something you didn’t even know you needed. The store is made up of local vendors and creatives, meaning the inventory is always high quality and highly curated (and the eyes that curate have impeccable taste).
And when the Cap Hill sun shines through the shop’s windows, the glow of their colorful accessories section assures you that you’re in the right place.
This year, Westword named them the Best Place to Find Unique Earrings (and they’re right about that). For earrings and beyond, The Common Collective’s accessories section strikes the perfect balance between clean vintage, upcycled pieces and handmade jewelry. As such, it’s a great place to find staple accessories with an eclectic twist: sunglasses, hair clips, leather bags, vintage shoes, handmade necklaces and, of course, earrings.
Plus, because the selection comes from local vendors, it’s always shifting, meaning you can find something one-of-a-kind that fits your individual taste – over and over again, every time you visit. So while you’re not digging in the traditional sense, you still get that small, satisfying thrill of finding something that feels a little personal, a little unexpected and very worth the stop.
For Quirky Statement Pieces and Small Business Support:
Strawberry Mountain
825 Santa Fe Dr, Denver, CO 80204
Sat-Thu: 11AM-7PM; Fri: 11AM-10PM
True story: a friend was once looking for a bolo tie, and I sent him to Strawberry Mountain. For some reason, they always have those (and a number of other eclectic accessories for those that love a little extra whimsy).
Because Strawberry Mountain operates on a Buy Sell Trade model, their inventory is constantly rotating and always unexpected. New shoes, bags and belts are always hitting the floor, and the buyers’ never pass up the opportunity to stock the store with pieces you’ve probably never seen before. And this isn’t one of those secondhand stores where you can say: “Oh, there’s never any men’s clothes,” (which is a lie anyway — everyone knows the men’s section has the best t-shirts and workwear), because Strawberry Mountain consistently stocks colorful, statement-making clothes and accessories in all sizes, extending even to shoes.
Plus, they have a few staple vendors. SNAG, a Denver-based small-batch outfitter supplies embroidered hats, and Mieliepop Creations, Strawberry Mountain’s bolo tie plug, stocks the shop’s jewelry section with found-items-turned-wearable art.
For High-End and Designer Pieces:
Common Threads
1575 S Pearl St, Denver, CO 80210
Tue-Sat: 10AM-6PM; Sun: 11AM-4PM; Closed Mon
Finding designer pieces in the thrift store means bragging rights for life. However, while there’s more designer on the racks than one might think, then comes the burden of repairing damaged pieces and wondering if the luxury tag you pulled is a bootleg.
On the other side of the secondhand shopping spectrum, Common Threads is highly curated and entirely intentional. The shop operates on a consignment model, and the inventory leans heavily toward recognizable designer labels (and some tags you’ve likely never seen before). When it comes to accessories, Common Threads carries bags, wallets, belts, hats, shoes and jewelry from luxury brands.
Plus, unlike the thrill-of-the-hunt energy of larger thrift stores, the designer pieces they carry have already been vetted, ensuring that the high-end piece you’re investing in is both authentic and gently used. Of course, that level of curation comes with slightly higher price points than your average thrift, but compared to retail and given the quality Common Threads maintains, each piece still lands firmly in the “I can justify this purchase,” category.
Essentially, Common Threads combines the straightforward shopping experience of high-end retail with the environmentally-friendly perks of thrifting. In other words, paying them a visit means the difference between hoping you stumble across vintage Gucci at the Arc and knowing there’s a decent chance it’s already waiting for you at their shop.
