Day 30 The Thrifty HoG NYC 30X30

The last, but certainly not the least, store in NYC 30×30 is The Thrifty Hog, a true boutique store in the heart of the Flatiron District. Curated with a retailer’s care and attention by Deborah Koenigsberger, Founder and Executive Director of Hearts of Gold (and owner of the chic Noir et Blanc…Bis boutique on 23rd Street), this place feels more like a Parisian dépôt vente than a thrift store. You’ll find the latest styles here for men and women, and a jeans cabinet that puts Barney’s to shame.

Tailored more for a girlfriend’s shopping weekend than a traditional thrifter’s rummage, each item here is clean, of the moment, and hand-picked for a stylish wardrobe. Prices are great when compared to retail, but they do reflect the shop’s high standards and attention to detail. If you’re looking for beautiful clothing, shoes and accessories without the work of digging, this is your place. (If you’re looking for rock-bottom prices and the thrill of the hunt, hit Goodwill and Salvation Army on 23rd Street.)

We were fortunate to team up with the Thrifty HoG for our video “Closet Makeover Makes an Impact,” and Deb’s section at the end about who they benefit is extraordinary.

The Thrifty HoG is the only thrift shop outside of Memorial Sloan-Kettering where I feel distinctly underdressed. The most stylish women I’ve ever seen shopping second-hand are here; and you know the type – the Bergdorf Blondes and Barney’s Brunettes – their casual elegance so effortless, their grooming so pristine yet carefully not done up.

However, the genial, happy-to-see-you vibe of the shop takes away any snobbishness, so the snobs are the ones who appear out of place. It’s your best girlfriend’s closet, and the ladies who work here are unobtrusive yet immediately helpful the moment you have a question. Quite a few men came in during my brief time here to look at their suit sale; I didn’t want to scare off the rare man who found his way into a thrift store, so I didn’t check the prices, but the men seemed to be impressed and, dare I say, enthused. This is one more time when I wish I had a better camera; the photos can’t properly embody the beauty of the shop and the little beauties that live here.

The Thrifty HoG should be on your hit list for special events, dates, interviews and just to do something nice for yourself (and for the women and children the shop benefits). I know that if I had something special to attend, one stop in this store would have me set head to toe and out the door in under half an hour, at less than half of what I would find retail.

For a more leisurely time, do a little shopping, then stop next door at Hill Country Fried Chicken; it’s the closet thing to my mom’s I’ve found yet in this city, and they have immediate cache just for being next to the Thrifty HoG.

Location

11 West 25th Street
(B’way & Sixth)
New York, NY 10010
212.206.1174

Hours

Monday: Closed
Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday: 10am-6:30pm
Thursday: 10am-7:30pm
Saturday: 10am-6:00pm
Sunday: 11am-5:00pm

Who They Benefit

Proceeds from The Thrifty HoG, benefits Hearts of Gold, founded in 1996, working to foster sustainable change in lifestyle and levels of self-sufficiency for homeless mothers and their children. Hearts of Gold provides support, job training and other extremely important programs for this too-long-neglected demographic, and has helped more than 10,000 homeless families, providing everything from diapers, winter coats and summer camp tuition for children to mammograms, scholarships and landlord negotiations for mothers.