Vienna’s Secondhand Gems: 9 Thrift Stores worth exploring

Wait! Wait! Don’t stop scrolling this article just yet! We know that Humana is not exactly a hidden gem. It’s a popular chain of second-hand stores scattered across the city with a pretty random selection of items. But it is often unjustly overlooked. The truth is, Humana gives you the purest thrifting experience; if you want to find gold, you gotta dig. We suggest digging strategically since the assortment varies from district to district. People say that the best Humana’s to shop are located at Lerchenfelder Straße 45/corner of Neubaugasse, Landstraße Hauptstraße 21, and Löwengasse 37.

Is the shop curated? Haha. No.

Who is it for? The brave bargain hunters, of any gender, who are prepared to go through piles and piles of matronly blouses to find that one cool t-shirt.

We would say that this store is a golden-standard-middle-ground-nothing-crazy thrift shop. You come in, you see a lot of clothes on hangers in tame colours and norm-core style. It’s probably not the best place to look for your next crazy party look, but you’ll likely to find a tame outfit that your Oma would approve of. Lots of 90s gems, as well.

Is the shop curated? Not really, but it’s neat and organised.

Who is it for? Upstanding casual dressers looking for a decent skirt or a standard men’s blazer, who are not afraid to stumble upon a raspberry coloured dinner jacket with an embroidered pocket.

As soon as you step into the Purple Cave, you feel as if you’ve been transported onto a film set. Everything is carefully selected, from an array of colorful clothes to vintage tea sets in the window-shop. It’s probably one of the most stylised thrift shops in Vienna, specialising in 50s, 60s, and 70s items. It’s worth checking out, at least for the atmosphere. Oh, and don’t knock all the polyester items you might find there. People in the 70s thought that polyester was the next best thing and made a lot of quality stuff out of it. It might not be as comfy as cotton, but it will last you a lifetime.

Is the shop curated? Oh yes! It’s a vintage lover’s dream.

Who is it for? Someone with a very specific style, someone searching for an era-themed party costume, someone who’s not afraid of colour? The clothes are mostly women’s, but there’s a sick collection of men’s shirts in funky colours.

A relatively new store that will catch your attention with pastel hues, funky fonts and clothes, organised on racks by colour. It’s a deliberately genderless store, where you turn up more for the vibes than for a particular trouser style. The prices are mostly low with a few high-end treasures going for a fraction of the cost. Come and snag those bright Versace sneakers off the shelf (if they’re still there!).

Is the shop curated? The owners try to present a selection of cool bright clothing for cool bright people.

Who is it for? Passing by hipsters with cool haircuts and a love for dopamine dressing.

This shop is pretty famous in Vienna, and rightfully so. It’s cozy, cool, and welcoming. We initially thought that the uppers and the downers were representative of thrift treasures that you can find here under different price ranges. But it turns out that the title is more about things that lift you up and things that ground you. Well, what lifted us up was a collection of ugly Christmas sweaters on the racks in this store (it was close to Christmas when we visited). This Christmas jumper selection reflects how often the racks are refreshed here and keep up-to-date with the seasons and what’s in.

Is the shop curated? You can see that the clothes are carefully selected, though overall quite varied.

Who is it for? Chill people of any gender looking for their next favourite thing to wear to obscure poetry readings and secret concerts.

If you’re wondering when you walk into Bootik 54, ‘Have I died and gone to jeans heaven?’ the answer is – yes. This is a famously quirky thrift store where you can find a selection of vintage zip-up sports jackets and unknown band t-shirts. But their claim to fame is denim. Any cut, any wash, any era. You’ll be especially happy if you’re a classic Levi’s fan – there truly is a pair for everyone here.

Is the shop curated? It’s very denim-focused, but the selection itself is incredibly varied.

Who is it for? A person who thinks that a perfect pair of jeans makes a perfect wardrobe gives you an instant confidence boost and solves all your problems.

This is one of those places you’ll no doubt want to stay at for longer. There’s something about the mint-painted facade, the perfectly assembled pieces in a Wes Anderson’s colour scheme, the comfy old chairs near the entrance, and the tiny café where they serve homemade cakes… it’s the little things! Freudich’s pricing approach is ‘as cheap as possible for as chic as possible.’ But the curation here makes even the more affordable pieces look stunning.

Is the shop curated? Very much so!

Who is it for? A nostalgic romantic looking for a comfy knit or a crazy-patterned skirt or to sit in a cafe and write their someday-to-be-published novel.

One of the most famous thrift stores in Vienna and one of our personal favourites. It’s not only the cool interior and the heavenly cheesecake in the adjacent cafe; it’s the vibe, and the mood this place puts you in. Speaking from experience, it puts you in the mood to find your next sick fit and cease being shy about your style. Every item here is hand-picked by people with some serious fashion sense, so the shopping experience is more of a concept store, less of a secondhand one. You can find pretty affordable gems here, but the yummy designer stuff is marked with white hangers – look out for those!

Is the shop curated? Curated, styled, and presented as if it were a fashion shoot.

Who is it for? Those confident bastards who come into any room and command attention with their neon fuzzy coats or silver sneakers. Great male clothes selection as well as for the female, and non-binary amongst us!

The neon wolf logo that you see outside the store is so famous now that people literally buy branded keychains with this simplistic animal silhouette. And let’s be honest, that’s all that most people can afford here. Wolfmich carries big-name brands like Gucci, Prada, Miu Miu, and the like. Each item of clothing undergoes careful selection, leaving only those worn by the cool kids. The cool kids with some dough to spend and a lot of passion for fashion.

Is the shop curated? Oh yes! Curated by price mostly.

Who is it for? Those of you looking for something to wear to your amateur rap music video shoot filmed in the alley near Donaukanal.