The Attic
1018 S Main St tel 388-4088. Mon-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 11am-5pm.
Located in an insalubrious area south of downtown (just a little too far to walk), this shrine to vintage Americana both chic and kitsch charges customers a dollar simply to cross its portals. Once inside, there's some amazing stuff, though it's all a bit too cannily priced to expect to leave with your arms full. Clothes and costumes of all kinds range from old Levi's and bell-bottoms to flamboyant 1960s creations, and there's a great assortment of shoes, hats, and accessories. The furniture too is a delight, with turquoise vinyl armchairs and the like, and there's also a little in-house coffee bar.
Buffalo Exchange
4110 S Maryland Parkway tel 791-3960. Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun noon-6pm.
Buffalo Exchange, a chain of vintage-clothing stores familiar to Western bargain-hunters, is a bit less characterful than the Attic, but the atmosphere is just as cool, and it's a more dependable source of inexpensive retro items, including shoes.
