I love it, I need it; I resent it, I denounce it. Such is the schizo relationship I have with Beacon's Closet, a hipper-than-thou used/vintage clothing store in Williamsburg. Williamsburg is having a more and more difficult time remaining sincere and it knows it and doesn't care. Don't dare walk down the street in Williamsburg unless you are dressed to impress the hipster elite. That said, Beacon's Closet is situated in the perfect locale, though there's one in Park Slope I understand. I've not been to that one, but several times a year I hie over to the store in Williamsburg, huge and garishly pink, and subject myself to the unlistenable music they blast, in order to revel in the racks and racks of great finds, all color coded. It is there I found a brown, wool, vintage dress, empire waist and form-fitting, Like It Was Made For Me - $18.00. A pair of mahogany-colored boots, so beautiful a woman once actually stopped me in Union Square and said, "those are the most beautiful boots I've ever seen, where did you get them?" to which I replied with an attitude that made me loathe myself, "they're vintage" - $30.00. Cashmere sweaters, one of a kind skirts and vintage sun-dresses, usually for well under $20.00.
Pants are sometimes more, but it doesn't matter because you won't fit into the pants. Even if they're marked size 6, they are really size 0, which makes me think that the hipsters that sell their clothing to Beacon's Closet are normal-sized on top, with little, teeny, tiny bottoms. And that brings me to the subject of selling clothes. They'll make you feel like crap for deigning to bring your hideous clothing, which they'll paw over and ultimately reject. And if they do buy something, for store credit or cash, it's for way less than you expected. They'll take the stuff they don't buy and "donate it to charity;" so save the humiliation and just take it to the Goodwill bin yourself.
The dressing room staff is snooty, the cashiers don't know the meaning of the word, "smile" and no matter what you wear or buy there, you'll never be good enough for them. And yet, I adore it with all my heart.
Evaluation:
Not sincere at all (but you should definitely check it out)
williamsburg
88 n 11th street
brooklyn, ny 11211
(718) 486-0816
park slope
92 5th avenue
brooklyn, ny 11217
(718) 230-1630
http://www.beaconscloset.com/
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I have to add an addendum to this post. My sister Juliana and I took a visit to Beacon's Closet on a busy Friday just prior to Halloween. Not only was the staff not snooty and superior, they were kind, patient and perfectly friendly. I may just need to boost their sincerity rating - let's give it another couple of visits and I may be convinced.
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