For unexpected souvenir shopping, try this
On your next trip, shop local and pre-loved
I’m not sure when my light obsession with second hand stores really started. It might have been in response to concerns about consumerism. It might have been the thrill of the hunt for something more unique and special. It might have been when I realized it can be more affordable than shopping new.
Either way, now that I shop secondhand, I love scoping out vintage or thrift stores wherever I go.
I was never one for souvenir shopping, beyond the odd keychain or fridge magnet. I never wanted to spend my precious travel time searching for the perfect object that captured the spirit of the location and also happened to fit snugly in my luggage.
Thrift shopping offers an alternative — you never know what you’re going to find, and it’s almost guaranteed to feel uniquely of that place. You’ll always remember you got it there. That’s how I feel about my tropical print shorts from a thrift store in London, or my bowling pin salt and pepper shakers from Savannah.
Books:
I stumbled across Open Door, a used shop for English books on a tiny street in Trastevere, when I was studying abroad in Rome. Thirteen years later, I can still remember I then bought Me: Stories of My Life by Katherine Hepburn; and bought The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan on my second visit eight years after. The shop is the epitome of a cozy hole in the wall, with floor to ceiling shelves and books everywhere, ensuring a real treasure hunt.
Lavinia Ciuffa from Open Door says:
“Independent, small, second-hand bookstores, however you wish to call them... they will never disappear. Their struggle against commercial chains, against inhospitality, against e-books, against financial hardship, mostly against vulgarity and ignorance will never end because they simply represent independence, coziness, culture, welcome, gentleness, open mind… In the end, local bookstores represent the best part of a free human being consuming curiosity for ideas of all kinds. No doubt the best place to begin a tour visiting any city in the world, to get the best spirit of it!”
Open Door Bookshop
Via della Lungaretta, 23, 00153 Roma, Italy
Vinyl
Music has a special power to bring back memories, and make you feel more present. Visiting a vinyl shop can help you pick out a special album for you or a friend.
For the Record in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint is connecting music to a sense of place even further by combining a record store with a coffee shop and an event space, serving as a third place the community around it can visit daily.
I spoke with Owner Lucas Deysine:
*****
On its location in Brooklyn:
“We’re situated in a funky area of Brooklyn in the top part of Greenpoint. We originally thought we wouldn’t get any tourists, but a lot of people come to visit. It’s a cool neighborhood to walk around. We see a lot of people from the city, and also Australians and Europeans.”
Why coffee makes a great souvenir:
“Some people buy coffee in different places they visit. It helps take you back to the experience of where you were drinking it, with a special cup, or with a special person or your family, or even if it was just a calm morning to yourself. You can remember that for awhile.”
Why vinyl makes a great souvenir:
“Same goes for music and in particular vinyl. It’s a medium you have to get up for to flip it, keep it clean, and it’s a lot more interactive with picking a song. It’s more personal. So if you’re in a new place with someone, you can immediately gravitate towards a shared memory, like if you hear it in a store, or you find an album that’s meaningful for you. It’s the kind of thing you don’t forget, which is the importance of souvenirs — a token or memento of something you don’t want to forget.”
On the vinyl + coffee combo:
“When I opened up the shop, I thought it’d be a good idea to combine coffee and vinyl. Coffee and music are both sensory experiences. Coffee grabs multiple different senses at the same time. Coffee and vinyl have an interesting overlap.
The funny part of traveling is that it can be such a rush squeezing in as many different activities as possible, but it’s a great chance to slow down too. It’s why both vinyl and coffee make for great souvenirs and capture a memory.”
The meaning of “local”
“People can stress themselves out trying to buy local music and it can be really hard. Vinyl is a fickle media — not everyone has access to being able to press their music. A lot of vinyl is vintage and pre-owned, so it’s been loved before, forgotten, and you’re giving it love and a new home again. It’s really an emotional aspect and can be really moving.
For coffee, I roast all the coffee myself — that’s as local as you can get. When it comes to coffee, people understand local is better. You may even talk to the person that roasted it, the person right in front of you. That’s the aspect of “local” that’s the best part. Buying local is great, but the real joy is interacting with the person who made it.”
For the Record
1107 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222, United States
Clothing:
With chain stores located all over the world and the proliferation of online shopping, it can feel harder and harder to purchase clothing as a souvenir that feels “local” and that you couldn’t just have bought anywhere.
One of the few ways to still buy unique and one-of-a-kind pieces, beyond local designer shops which might be too out of budget, is thrift shopping.
Hello Vintage is an Oakland, California-based online vintage store run by Emily O’Brien. Emily shares tips for any traveler who wants to add thrift shopping into their travels:
*****
“Pack light or bring an extra bag while traveling if you intend on doing some vintage shopping. Some of the best vintage pieces take up more space than modern clothing, so planning ahead of time can prevent you from having to say no to a dream piece because you don't have the space.”
“Scope out the local vintage scene on Instagram or Google ahead of time. See if there are any brick and mortar vintage shops open where you are traveling, and make it a point to both visit and contact them ahead of time to let them know you are coming. Many vintage shops are run by a single person, so making a personal connection makes it both more special and more fun for everyone involved. I've had instances where a vintage shop owner pulled some things I may like so I could try them on when I got there. Those ended up being my favorite picks from the trip!”
“Ask the vintage shops for tips on where to shop. They know their local scene better than anyone and can give you a head's up to upcoming markets, any pop up shops, or local sellers who may not have a brick and mortar with posted hours. It's always worth asking!”
“If you collect a specific designer, style, decade, etc, don't be afraid to ask if they have "anything else you might like." Some sellers (myself included) keep a stash of things they haven't gotten around to pricing, mending, etc, and you never know unless you ask. Ditto for something that might catch your eye in a pile behind the counter or hanging on an unmarked rack by the fitting room. When I was in Ireland, I saw a pair of boots laid up high on a shelf in the fitting room, and the owner ended up selling them to me because I asked about them even though she hadn't had them available for sale yet.”
“Always ask and always make connections. The more you put yourself out there and explore, the more you'll find. Vintage shopping is treasure hunting, and shopping while traveling can bring some amazing memories and souvenirs of your adventures.”
Hello Vintage
Hellovintage.com / @hellovintagelovers, Oakland, CA, United States
By:
Illustration by: Amy Siripunyo
If you’d like to support our work with Good Trip, here’s our Buy Me A Coffee.
 | A guest post by
|