"Vintage" Shops a Scam?

Question

I can't believe the number of "Vintage" shops that have popped up recently, and not just in Shimokita. They are spreading everywhere. But I just don't get them. They are selling clothing for often 4 or 5 times the original price, complete with worn fabric and stains. Are people really paying these prices for damaged goods?

And much of the merchandise they claim to be "American" is clearly Japanese, complete with Engrish.

Me, I still get my used clothing at Tanpopo House, where just today I got a brand new zip-down shirt with the label still on it for ¥630 and a decent ⅔-sleeve button-down for ¥420.

On the other hand, I don't know why anyone would sell their used clothes to Tanpopo House these days when vintage shops can afford to pay a lot more (but do they?).

katarinarahn · Answer

the shimokita spots are a mixed bag tbh. some of them are legit curators who actually hunt in the US and japan for real deadstock, but most are just buying from the same secondhand wholesalers as everyone else and slapping a 5000 yen tag on a stained gap hoodie. tanpopo house is solid for basics but you're not gonna find anything rare there, it's more like a supermarket for clothes.

if you want the real vintage scene, skip the instagram stores and hit up the koenji area. there's a block near the station called "vintage street" with shops that have been around for decades, they price things fairly and actually know what they're selling. the trick is to go on a weekday morning when they restock, not during the weekend tourist rush.

roselwoll · Answer

honestly the whole thing is a spectrum. the shimokita shops that are clearly aimed at tourists with instagram tags and 8000 yen levi's are a joke. but there's a few in koenji that have been there since the 90s and the owners actually know their stuff, they'll tell you which year a band tee is from and why the wash matters. tanpopo house is fine for basics but it's essentially a thrift store, not a vintage shop. two different things.

if you want the middle ground, check out the secondhand floors in don quijote in ikebukuro or the book off bazaar in hachioji. they have the same clothes but priced by weight or condition, not by how trendy the brand name is. i got a real 90s harrington jacket for 1500 yen at the book off bazaar last month, zero stains. the trick is just going often and digging.

kathiefranz · Answer

Yeah, a lot of those newer "vintage" spots are just selling fast fashion cast-offs with a markup. Tanpopo House is still the real deal for actual bargains.

danny · Answer

god another person who just figured out what vintage means. yeah the prices are stupid but thats the whole point, people pay for the curated look not for quality. if u want cheap clothes go to book off or hard off where stuff is actually priced like it should be. tanpopo house is fine

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