So much has been said about the joys and thrills of thrift store shopping here in the Philippines. It has indeed become a growing trend among Filipinos (a great number of thrift and vintage shop destinations have popped up all over Metro Manila within the last few years, even reaching the city of Baguio). It’s amazing how this fad has slowly become more and more popular, not just among the masses, but among the elite as well. So what exactly is it about thrift store shopping that draws people in? Is it the alluring aroma of mothballs you breathe into your lungs once you enter a store? Or maybe the itchy feeling you get all over your body after touching dusty old clothing with your bare hands? I was determined to find the answers to my questions. I found out about a place called Cubao Expo along General Romulo Avenue; they said it was the perfect place to go to for good shopping. There, I experienced firsthand exactly what thrift store shopping was about and now understand why people love it so much.
I felt a rush of excitement go right through me the moment I stepped down from my car. I was amazed with what I saw. The place itself looked old yet very fresh at the same time – nothing like I’ve ever seen before. It was hot out and I could hear the traffic and bustle from the neighboring streets buzzing in my ears. I looked around. I was standing in the middle of a street lined with never-ending stores, one next to the other on both sides. I walked along and looked from window to window into each store. Each was different in the way that it looked and in what it had to offer. There were a variety of items from funky looking shoes to old books and records to Polaroid cameras and even some vintage European furniture. There was so much to take in. Where do I start?
Apparently, most of the stores in Cubao Expo open late (around three to four in the afternoon) and close at midnight. Since I arrived a little past two, I didn’t really have that many options. The first store I chose to enter, I did so because it had a well-decorated window. It seemed to have every type of accessory in it from headbands to bracelets to rings to scarves. Necklaces hung on the walls and in the middle were more little trinkets of different shapes and colors. On one side were three racks of dresses and shirts, one of each kind, according to the lady handling to shop. And though they were still brand new, they already had an unusual smell to them. Displayed on the other side were gloves, feathery scarves and tiny purses. Pins, magnets, hats, makeup brushes and sunglasses were just some of the other things randomly placed around the store, making it look very busy and full. It was like I wanted to buy everything. The colors attracted me and made me want to buy things I really didn’t need. I tried on a few things (because surprisingly you can find some really good buys in there especially if you’re looking for dresses and tops), and came out of the store with one dress that I can’t wait to wear. And it only cost me four hundred and fifty pesos when I’d usually spend at least eight hundred for a dress like that. Wow. And there was still much left for me to explore.
I was feeling a little more adventurous now so I tried entering a more hardcore ukay-ukay store next. I found one called Kabunyan Thrift Shop, which was apparently on sale that day. Fifty pesos on all clothes items and there was even a rack where all items were worth fifteen pesos only. It was definitely a good bargain. When I first set foot inside the shop, I was overwhelmed with how packed it was. It was definitely different from the first store. The space wasn’t very big but they had managed to fit racks and racks and racks and racks of clothes. Shoes and bags were displayed on one side of the store and on the other they had some undergarments for women (all of which have been previously owned). This time, the items weren’t as appealing. Unlike the other store, all of the items here were secondhand. The smell of mothballs made me feel a little uneasy because it just isn’t normal to smell that in a store but it was surprisingly still spacious enough not to feel claustrophobic. I rummaged through the clothes, which felt very old and dusty. I was amused with the different things I saw. It was like there was an item of clothing from every decade in history and with each item, you could tell a lot about the person who previously owned it. I actually found some very nice things that I tried on before buying. It felt uncomfortable trying on used clothes I didn’t know where they came from. I came out with a bag full of clothes and felt accomplished that I was able to find a lot of good things. So that was why people liked thrift shops.
What’s nice about Cubao Expo is that each store is completely different from the rest, which is why it appeals to a lot of people. Whether you’re the artsy kind, the punk rocker kind, the old school or modern kind, you’ll surely find something there that will interest you or catch your eye. I enjoyed my trip to Cubao X and I think that every girl (and boy), regardless of their age, would enjoy it too!
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