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The Thrifty HoG

Opening Hours
Today: 10:30am–6:30pm
Sat:
10:30am–6pm
Sun:
11am–5pm
Mon:
Closed
Tues:
Closed
Wed:
10:30am–6:30pm
Thurs:
10:30am–7pm
Location
40 West 25th Street
Neighborhoods
The Thrifty HoG 1 Vintage Childrens Clothing Women's Clothing Mens Clothing For Kids Flatiron Tenderloin

Deborah Koenigsberger had no plans to start a non-profit. As the owner of Noir et Blanc, an upscale, French-themed, women’s clothing boutique on West 23rd Street, she had enough on her plate. On her way to work every day, she would cross Madison Square Park and encounter the same young homeless woman and her three-year-old daughter sleeping there. Deb learned that the woman had faced abuse in the shelter system and had decided to “take her chances outside.” Over time, she would bring them food, until suddenly, they were gone.

Deb was so impacted by the experience, combined with the words of a Stevie Wonder song, “Take the Time Out,” that she felt compelled to “help homeless mothers and their children reimagine their lives.” Even though that young woman physically left, Deb says, “She motivates me every day to keep going.” Thus, Hearts of Gold (HoG) was born with a mission of enabling homeless mothers and their children to “reclaim their lives, transition out of the shelter system, and become self-sufficient.”

In 2010, Deb opened the thrifty HoG on West 25th Street. A year later, she moved Noir et Blanc to a retail space a few doors down. The beautifully curated resale shop sells vintage, new, and gently used clothing for men and women, as well as small decor items, bric-a-brac, and home goods that are “consignment quality at thrift prices.” In Deb’s words, “If I wouldn’t buy it and wear it, I’m not selling it.”

The mothers in need who work at the thrifty HoG earn a living wage, acquire job skills, and undergo training through HoG’s Earn As You Learn Program. All net proceeds from sales at the shop pay the moms and fund programs and services that support the women and children.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, while everyone was sheltering at home, Deb never stopped. She worked every day to fundraise, purchase, and deliver essential health supplies, food, and other necessities to the moms and kids in the shelters. Over the course of 2020, Deb distributed more than 2,000 meals and emergency care packages, proving her dedication to her non-profit’s overarching goal: “HoG exists to make these women’s and children’s lives the best they can be and to help them retake control over their own stories.”

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The Thrifty HoG 1 Vintage Childrens Clothing Women's Clothing Mens Clothing For Kids Flatiron Tenderloin
The Thrifty HoG 2 Vintage Childrens Clothing Women's Clothing Mens Clothing For Kids Flatiron Tenderloin
The Thrifty HoG 3 Vintage Childrens Clothing Women's Clothing Mens Clothing For Kids Flatiron Tenderloin
The Thrifty HoG 4 Vintage Childrens Clothing Women's Clothing Mens Clothing For Kids Flatiron Tenderloin
The Thrifty HoG 5 Vintage Childrens Clothing Women's Clothing Mens Clothing For Kids Flatiron Tenderloin
The Thrifty HoG 6 Vintage Childrens Clothing Women's Clothing Mens Clothing For Kids Flatiron Tenderloin
The Thrifty HoG 7 Vintage Childrens Clothing Women's Clothing Mens Clothing For Kids Flatiron Tenderloin
The Thrifty HoG 8 Vintage Childrens Clothing Women's Clothing Mens Clothing For Kids Flatiron Tenderloin
The Thrifty HoG 9 Vintage Childrens Clothing Women's Clothing Mens Clothing For Kids Flatiron Tenderloin
The Thrifty HoG 10 Vintage Childrens Clothing Women's Clothing Mens Clothing For Kids Flatiron Tenderloin
The Thrifty HoG 11 Vintage Childrens Clothing Women's Clothing Mens Clothing For Kids Flatiron Tenderloin
The Thrifty HoG 12 Vintage Childrens Clothing Women's Clothing Mens Clothing For Kids Flatiron Tenderloin

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Lost Gem
New York Vintage 1 Vintage undefined

New York Vintage

A favorite of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Sarah Jessica Parker, New York Vintage is what co-founder Shannon Hoey describes as “a leader in fashion. ” Shannon has spent the past twenty-three years amassing an extensive collection of vintage clothing, which includes a downstairs retail space open to the public and an upstairs industry archive open by appointment only. Over the years, Shannon has dressed red carpet actresses and world-famous singers, and has worked closely with costume designers on a range of films and TV series, including Boardwalk Empire and Mad Men. In 2010, First Lady Michelle Obama made a historic appearance in a New York Vintage Norman Norell dress, and since then, Shannon has dressed her on many occasions. When I first visited New York Vintage, I could not believe my eyes. The window display was stunning, as was the old-fashioned décor, complete with richly upholstered chairs, gilded mirrors, and ornate chandeliers. I was captivated by the wall of Vogue photographs, each one featuring a piece from Shannon’s collection, and of course, by the true treasure of New York Vintage: high-heeled shoes, flamboyant hats, and endless racks of beautiful dresses from designers around the world. Upstairs, the industry archive upstairs was filled with even more outrageous items, from a dress owned by Ulysses Grant’s wife to intricate McQueen headpieces. “Every piece here has historical significance, ” Shannon told me. “We’re an institution, a working museum archive. ” In fact, she added, many of the items at New York Vintage have been purchased from museums, and each piece is meticulously documented and entered into a database. Today, Shannon is one of New York’s foremost experts on fashion as an art form, so I was surprised to learn that she never set out to work with vintage clothing. “Fashion discovered me, ” she told me, explaining how her husband’s career in antiques first sparked her interest in vintage. It quickly became her passion, and within a few years, she and her husband co-founded New York Vintage. “He handles the business side of things, and I’m the creative director, ” Shannon explained. “So I get to do the fun part. ”But the vintage business can be difficult, too, and it took years of hard work for Shannon to build her collection. “The kind of fashion we seek is not easily found, ” she said. “It takes patience and capital, and you need to know what you’re looking for. ” In the early days, Shannon spent a lot of time searching for new pieces in Europe, but nowadays, with three young daughters, she travels much less. When I asked about her children, she said with a smile, “They spend a lot of time here with me, and they love playing dress-up. ”Shannon, unsurprisingly, also loves dressing up, and she told me that she has a lot of opportunities to wear items from her collection. “Halloween is my favorite holiday, ” she explained, “And last year I went to Allison Sarofim’s Italian futurism-themed party in a pink Mohawk and mod clothing. ” But Shannon’s favorite era is the 1920s. “I’m obsessed with all of it, ” she said. “The mindset, the freedom, the departure from women being bound and put in corsets. ”Still marveling over Shannon’s list of celebrity clients, which includes Julia Roberts and Beyonce, I asked if she ever gets starstruck. When celebrities first started flocking to the store, she told me, it was totally overwhelming, “like running from a tidal wave. ” But since then, the only time she has really been starstruck was her visit to the White House with the First Lady. “Some celebrities still catch me off-guard, ” she said, “Like the time Nicole Kidman showed up unannounced. But otherwise, I’m used to it. ”When I asked Shannon about the future of New York Vintage, she told me that they are hoping to expand overseas. “We want to open our doors to global clients, ” she told me, “maybe by opening an outpost in Europe. ” But until then, she told me, she will continue to do what she loves here in New York, working with designers, inspiring them and feeling inspired. For Shannon, the truly fulfilling part of her job is working with designers and models, creating with them and helping to communicate their vision. “I’m always inspired, ” she said with a smile. “I have the best job in the world. ”

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Lost Gem
New York Vintage 1 Vintage undefined

New York Vintage

A favorite of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Sarah Jessica Parker, New York Vintage is what co-founder Shannon Hoey describes as “a leader in fashion. ” Shannon has spent the past twenty-three years amassing an extensive collection of vintage clothing, which includes a downstairs retail space open to the public and an upstairs industry archive open by appointment only. Over the years, Shannon has dressed red carpet actresses and world-famous singers, and has worked closely with costume designers on a range of films and TV series, including Boardwalk Empire and Mad Men. In 2010, First Lady Michelle Obama made a historic appearance in a New York Vintage Norman Norell dress, and since then, Shannon has dressed her on many occasions. When I first visited New York Vintage, I could not believe my eyes. The window display was stunning, as was the old-fashioned décor, complete with richly upholstered chairs, gilded mirrors, and ornate chandeliers. I was captivated by the wall of Vogue photographs, each one featuring a piece from Shannon’s collection, and of course, by the true treasure of New York Vintage: high-heeled shoes, flamboyant hats, and endless racks of beautiful dresses from designers around the world. Upstairs, the industry archive upstairs was filled with even more outrageous items, from a dress owned by Ulysses Grant’s wife to intricate McQueen headpieces. “Every piece here has historical significance, ” Shannon told me. “We’re an institution, a working museum archive. ” In fact, she added, many of the items at New York Vintage have been purchased from museums, and each piece is meticulously documented and entered into a database. Today, Shannon is one of New York’s foremost experts on fashion as an art form, so I was surprised to learn that she never set out to work with vintage clothing. “Fashion discovered me, ” she told me, explaining how her husband’s career in antiques first sparked her interest in vintage. It quickly became her passion, and within a few years, she and her husband co-founded New York Vintage. “He handles the business side of things, and I’m the creative director, ” Shannon explained. “So I get to do the fun part. ”But the vintage business can be difficult, too, and it took years of hard work for Shannon to build her collection. “The kind of fashion we seek is not easily found, ” she said. “It takes patience and capital, and you need to know what you’re looking for. ” In the early days, Shannon spent a lot of time searching for new pieces in Europe, but nowadays, with three young daughters, she travels much less. When I asked about her children, she said with a smile, “They spend a lot of time here with me, and they love playing dress-up. ”Shannon, unsurprisingly, also loves dressing up, and she told me that she has a lot of opportunities to wear items from her collection. “Halloween is my favorite holiday, ” she explained, “And last year I went to Allison Sarofim’s Italian futurism-themed party in a pink Mohawk and mod clothing. ” But Shannon’s favorite era is the 1920s. “I’m obsessed with all of it, ” she said. “The mindset, the freedom, the departure from women being bound and put in corsets. ”Still marveling over Shannon’s list of celebrity clients, which includes Julia Roberts and Beyonce, I asked if she ever gets starstruck. When celebrities first started flocking to the store, she told me, it was totally overwhelming, “like running from a tidal wave. ” But since then, the only time she has really been starstruck was her visit to the White House with the First Lady. “Some celebrities still catch me off-guard, ” she said, “Like the time Nicole Kidman showed up unannounced. But otherwise, I’m used to it. ”When I asked Shannon about the future of New York Vintage, she told me that they are hoping to expand overseas. “We want to open our doors to global clients, ” she told me, “maybe by opening an outpost in Europe. ” But until then, she told me, she will continue to do what she loves here in New York, working with designers, inspiring them and feeling inspired. For Shannon, the truly fulfilling part of her job is working with designers and models, creating with them and helping to communicate their vision. “I’m always inspired, ” she said with a smile. “I have the best job in the world. ”

Lost Gem
Marlene Wetherell

Marlene Wetherell

An example of a hidden gem inside the Showplace Antiques Market is Marlene Wetherell’s vintage space that can only be described as a haven for lovers of couture fashion. Robert, who works in this booth, trained his eye from an extensive background in retail. New York native Marlene began as a stylist, then worked in film photography, and has a long love of fashion as a collector. Organized by color, only featuring designer vintage, the entire space is curated and specific. It is entirely appropriate to call it the crème de la crème. With Yves Saint Laurent being a favorite, the two explained their ideal customer would be someone with the style of Lauren Santo Domingo or Karlie Kloss: in search of sophisticated, timeless, yet unique pieces to mix with their wardrobe. Marlene and Robert do not like head-to-toe vintage, finding it at times costume-like, which is also why they do not - as a rule - purchase items before the 1950s. It is likely this emphasis on the ability to combine new and old - making vintage look modern - that enables them to cater to customers in their teens or their eighties. The two love to buy because they love “the hunt, ” the sense of independence, and the thrill of finding pieces. Both could recall finding a specific blush feathered Balenciaga dress that was missing the accompanying slip and therefore did not have a label. Though they were unsure of the make, they both understood the importance of it. It was not until someone else made them aware of its brand after having spotted another dress of the same pattern at an FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) show. Today, twelve years later, Marlene and Robert have acquired a plethora of knowledge and a strong passion for research that they said a similar occurrence would be rare. Even a quick conversation with them will uncover their commitment to the work they do. Robert was able to site years, brands, fabrics, and even the occasional Vogue cover for any piece surrounding him in the shop. The two were proud to say that designers contact them in search of a piece for their archives that they are missing. Because of this wealth of expertise, they enjoy being somewhat "under-the-radar. " Robert explained, “We get high off of the passion that others bring to us. ” Young people without a background in designer fashion will use them as a starting point to explore further - an introduction to designers and encouragement to learn more. Others with a passion for vintage fashion feel like it is their private place, with time and space to admire and appreciate impeccably-made and influential clothing. Marlene emphasized that a photo cannot truly capture what a garment looks and feels like in person - it is important for people to visit the shop. They believe that in some ways they function like an adoption agency, pairing unique pieces with the perfect buyer. For them, the clothing become favorites even more when they find other people who also fully appreciate the item.