Secondhand Stores in Hillcrest

Hillcrest (combined with North Park) is the undisputed heart of San Diego’s vintage and secondhand shopping scene, and it has been for decades. The stretch of 5th Avenue and University Avenue between the 163 freeway and Normal Heights packs plenty of thrift and vintage options per block, including buy-sell-trade boutiques, curated vintage clothing shops, antique dealers, furniture resellers, and nonprofit thrifts all within easy walking distance of each other.

The curation skews higher here than in East County or South Bay — prices reflect that — but so does the quality, and the concentration of genuinely good shops makes Hillcrest the natural starting point for anyone new to thrifting in San Diego.

Be aware that parking can be a bit of a mess and pay attention to the one-way streets. Do some research ahead of time for what you’re looking for and park further away in the neighborhoods to avoid paying for parking (though the City has recently installed meters throughout Hillcrest, so your best bet is probably to just bite the bullet and park whatever you find is first available at this point).