Store Review: Housing Works (East 64th and 2nd avenue, NYC)
Hola mi amigos,
In this post, I will be reviewing the latest Housing Works location on the upper east side of New York City.
I received an invitation to the VIP Brunch and Grand Opening of this location, and I went mainly to bring feedback for y'all...and the mimosas. The event was a rather unique shopping experience meant to raise awareness for this location and from the crowds and my personal experience at the event, the staff and volunteers did an amazing job at keeping order, making the guest feel welcome and overall ensuring that we all had fun.
If you're a loyal reader of this blog. you'll know I have a thing for he Housing Works thrift shops. I've reviewed the Soho and the East 77th street location in the past and they scored big with me. Housing Works offers a unique thrifting experience that can tantalize everyone from newbies to hardcore thrifters.
I've rated this Housing Works location based on five categories; Staff/Atmosphere, Quality, Uniqueness, Variety and Prices, with two stars maximum for each section and a maximum total of 10 stars.
Staff/Atmosphere: [🌟] [🌟]
Housing Works staff is a mix of paid workers and volunteer workers, and it seems like HW brought all the superstars for this location. The staff was friendly, helpful and overall warm people with beautiful auras. The store was a bit smaller than the setup of other locations, but for it's size, it was arranged nicely and breezing through the clothes was a pleasure. There were three fitting rooms located in the center of the store, along with the cashier in the front and the donation center to the back of the store. On the day of the event, the store was packed to the gills and while it was rather crowded, the staff managed the crowds and lines in an effective manner.
Quality: [🌟][🌟]
With these chain of thrift shops, you can be rest assured that any pieces you leave with will be in good quality. Many of the items in the store are brand new, while most are simply gently used. I didn't find any pieces that had rips, tears or stains.
Uniqueness: [🌟] [🌟]
This store is donation based and all of their merchandise is therefore given by people from the neighborhood or stores, and that allows for a massive amount of uniqueness. You can find everything from the latest styles to more modern pieces and even vintage/antique pieces. During my visit, I snagged a red wool wrap coat, a Calvin Klein Fur Vest and Daisy For Marc Jacobs :)
Variety: [🌟] and half.
Once again, another hit for this location. They have it all; shoes, clothes, jackets, jewelry, small furniture, housewares and even paintings. They also carry a wide variety of sizes, mostly from size 0 -12 in clothes and a 6-10 in shoes. Just keep in mind that this site is donation based and therefore their merchandise will vary depending on the donations received.
Prices: [🌟]
The prices at this location are rather fair, with most items ranging from $5-$100 for higher ticket items such as designer pieces and furniture. The pricier items tend to stick out a bit because a lot of the items are relatively affordable. Some things are most definitely overpriced and that's why I had to deduct a star.
Closing Thoughts
With 8.5 stars, the latest installment in Housing Works thrift shops is worth the visit to the upper east side. The merchandise is fresh, and the staff is teeming with energy, advice and polite help. I'd recommend this store to a thrifting newbie and to veterans that are into more modern and current styles.
Visit the store at
1222 2nd Avenue (Corner of 2nd Ave and 64th Street)
New York, NY 10065
646-975-5905
Mon-Sat 11 AM - 7PM and Sun 11-6PM
Love & Light, Rachel