Udelco

Gross. I came to this place and i was skeptical before i even walked in the door. But when i did i was pretty disgusted. Everything was dusty and looked like it had been sitting there for months and really worn. The whole place smelled of cigarettes and they even had a sign at the door that said no smoking. I walked into the main room looked around and walked right back out quickly before anyone can realize i was even there. Waste of gas and driving 25 minutes.

They have specific boxes of things like overalls, military garb, sequined, flannel shirts etc– everything in giant cardboard boxes stacked in a warehouse most very well worn. Don’t like that there are no prices & owners decide what to charge when you walk up to pay; I know folks have to make a living, & happy to pay fair prices but with no pricing it feels like a rip off. They typically charge gentrified Brooklyn prices so unless I’m desperate for something I know they have I don’t shop here.

Udelco isn’t a thrift store, but rather a warehouse. Great place if you’re looking for a costume since there’s a lot of whacky styles, but it does have a few downfalls.
Be prepared to WORK. After one small room in the front where items are properly organized, the rest is simply boxes upon boxes of stuff that are somewhat vaguely labeled. You WILL be digging to the bottom of these large boxes of tangled clothes. You WILL be sneezing from all the dust. You ARE bound to become frustrated at points. You might leave with some great finds, you might leave with empty handed. But that, of course, is the beauty and gamble of thrift.
Cash only. One makeshift dressing room. They also allow people to smoke cigarettes inside which is a total turnoff for me.
A few years back I mightve given them an extra star. But now that thrifting has become more popular, the prices have gone up and the pickings are slimmer. Last time I went I spent $ 23 on two dresses and a belt. Not outrageous, but as I said, it took a good amount of BS&T to find this stuff — which in the end makes it seem barely worth it.
Still, I’m glad Udelco is around. I’ll probably return in the future if I’m looking for a theme party outfit or costume. It’s worth a check-​out, but just make sure you allot plenty of rummaging time.

Based upon some positive reviews from here and elsewhere, we went to this store recently.
First off, most of the items we saw were not price marked. Instead you rely on a poster that reads, something like «Men’s coats…$ 15-​$ 40» Look, if you want my business, you’ll actually mark each item with a price so I don’t feel as though you’re sizing me up before quoting me the price of the item I have in my mitts.
Second, most of the merchandise looks like it was taken directly from clothing drop-​offs and then sorted and thrown into cardboard boxes. Most of the boxed merchandise — which probably represents 95% of their inventory — looks and feels dirty or even filthy.
On top of that, the prices aren’t even particularly good. You can get better prices on NEW merchandise at any number of actual retail stores and not have to worry if someone died in the garment, or if it’s home to bedbugs, cockroaches or mouse droppings.
I’ve purchased from many vintage clothing shops in NYC and elsewhere. This, I’m sorry to say, is the worst operation of its kind that I’ve ever visited.
Wife and I felt like we needed a shower after less than 20 minutes here. Cash only here.
They got none of mine.
I recall the Udelco stores in Nyack and Orangeburg. This was nothing like those.

In the world of consignment stores there’s a word that is often thrown around. That word is «curated.» It implies that the owners have wadded through their intake and selected the best of the best to offer to their clientele. That ain’t Udelco. Udelco is the anti-​curated consignment store, heavily, heavily leaning towards thrift. That means that the vast majority of their inventory is collected through donation boxes and gifts. The interesting thing is that their merchandise is arranged logically and makes absolute sense. Say for example you’re looking for striped flannel shirts, pleated khaki pants or navy blue sport jackets. Each category has been lovingly sorted and placed in a huge box. These boxes are stacked quite high which makes accessing some of them rather difficult but it’s all part of the experience.
This is not a place for the casual visitor as you can literally spend a week wading through their inventory and not even scratch the proverbial surface of what’s available. It’s also a place where someone with a keen eye or even someone in the consignment business can fully stock their vintage closet or store and not make a dent in Udelco’s inventory.
One thing to keep in mind is that very few of the items are actually inspected for flaws. If you’re not doing your do diligence, it’s easy to walk away with a sweater that has moth holes or a t-​shirt with a large ink stain. Check everything over carefully. But again, that’s part of the allure of being there. It’s a fun place to spend an afternoon because literally, you never know what you’ll find.

I absolutely love this place.
Once you get past the visuals– creepy warehouse lot and creeper inside– and the smells and extreme heat or cold, this place is amazing.
I have found some of my favorite pieces here, and I always walk away with 4 – 6 items for less than $ 20.
The clothing has huge variance is sizes, style, and era. I can spot an h&m skirt from last seas (true story!) next to a slip from the late 1800s. It’s not a true vintage or thrift because I’ve seen band Ts from last year in bulk (PATD and John Lennon) but still worth the trip and experience.
Tips: don’t expect anything of the service.
Haggle If you’re up to it and know your limits
Use the buddy system! I’ve never been approached in an odd or eerie way but you really never know. Use the changing room at your discretion… It’s just a single fabric. See through sometimes.
Don’t be afraid to pull down boxes and stuff unless it explicitly says not to
Don’t buy crap. There’s enough stock to find something that isn’t ripped down all sides.
Trust nothing. Spray down shoes and wash clothing before you think about wearing it.

If you like to dig through boxes of damaged/​stained clothing in hopes of scoring something wearable, then udelco is an okay place to «thrift», tho last time I went there, I was definitely ripped off, I found a couple decent things and was way overcharged for the few items, and I’m assuming owner or whoever ran the shop wasn’t friendly at all, was probably intentionally trying to pocket rape me, literally pulled some absurd digit from her ass and was eyeballing my cash. Also while I was there I saw a familiar jersey city vintage vendor stock piling inventory for her own shop, so it clear there’s a lot of buying competition here. If you have bad allergies, stay far from this place, my eyes burned after 10 minutes. I left feeling a bit defeated but wound up going a few blocks away to a thrift store and scoring big time so it made the 40 minute trip worth it in the end.

This is the one thrift store to end all thrift stores.
There are literally boxes upon boxes of stuff; from cowboy vests to fur coats to boots to vintage jackets to just about any other item you need for all those dress up events you’re attending.
Being an actual thrift store, a few dollars ($ 5−10/article of clothing) is all you need to net yourself a bunch of cool things.
Oh and this place is legit the size of a warehouse… probably because it’s in one.
I suggest you ditch your other thrift stores, cause once you go Udelco, you don’t go back.

Amazing treasure hunting thrift adventure! Bring cash, bring your own music to listen to and lots of energy to sift and you will find amazing shoes bags jackets! I bring a list of things I’m looking for as to not get overwhelmed.

I’m glad a place like this is around, because it is cool and all, but the condition of a lot of the items is kinda rough. Vintage, I know but still. I’ll wear those shredded levis over there but I can’t do the gray sweatshirt with clam chowder stains all over it. I think it was clam chowder. I found some decent things though, it’s worth a look. I kind of get the vibe that of you do manage to find something really good in there they will either quote a crazy price or flat out refuse to sell it though…

If I didn’t hear about it a few years ago I would have never heard of it. It looks like a industrial warehouse from the outside. I’m pretty sure I turned around and left the first time I checked it out (being unsure I was in the right place).
But the second time I opened the door I could not believe what was in there. Just boxes upon boxes of clothes! Plus to make it easier everything was categorized. 7O’s shirts, western shirts, and the like organized so you weren’t looking through a random assortment like a normal salvation army. They buy their clothes in bulk so it’s a gamble looking for the right size for anything. Me being tall and skinny i have a hard time finding pants that fit me right. But shirts are good as long as I try them on or they aren’t too tacky.
I got a leather motor cycle jacket there for 10 bucks! Some clothes may have minor damage. As for the case the only defect was a hole in one of the pockets. It was ignorable attribute and the leather jacket was 100% wearable.
Stuff such as 70’s shirts were 5 bucks! But it varies from item to item as far as pricing is concerned. They also have some non clothes items as well.
Good place to whip up a random Halloween costume on a budget.
I would say that for some they may not enjoy going through all the boxes. For some the hunt is alluring. I just so happen to see the allure. Others may get frustrated going thru the seemingly endless boxes. It’s all a matter of perspective really. I personally love the hunt!

Love this place! I do all my shopping here for my photo shoot clothing, and costumes for music videos and our entertainment co for zombies – I do a lot of pin up shoots and find super cute vintage clothing/​shoes/​accessories here. Give them a try! Huge warehouse full of stuff!
–Millie Raid

I love it here! I’ve managed to stock my closet with ‘70s maxi dresses for about $ 8 each – all you need is time (it’s a HUGE place) and a little antibacterial for your hands (it’s a bit dusty there, as it’s basically a giant warehouse in what looks to be a loading-​dock area).
It can be tough to get to what you want, as the shelves are tall and some of the boxes are heavy. But I had good luck getting the crew there to help me out. Everything is pretty accurately – if not fancily – labeled, with Sharpie-​on-​cardboard scribbles all over the place.
Clothes, clothes, and more clothes, but not much in the way of accessories or jewelry. I think this would be a fabulous place for costume shopping though I go here for my «regular» clothes and have come out with quite a haul every time.
Again, have some antibacterial on you because your hands will feel a bit grubby (but it’s worth it) and bring your own bags if you’re planning to go wild (last time I was there, the bearded guy bound my bundle of treasures with a tie – nice & neat and, hey, free tie). Also, I recommend having a clothing steamer at home because some of these things have been crumpled up in boxes for god knows how long and the wrinkles may not come out in the wash (which I always do immediately after a trip here, with some oxy-​based detergent). Plus, a steamer is an extra step in sanitizing all kinds of stuff.

I once went to Williamsburg. It was for Major League Dreidel. I made a weekend of it with the wife; we went to the Brooklyn Brewery, ate at a really cool izakaya, went to the Dreidel event and had a good time. While in Williamsburg, I thought that I was surrounded by hipsters, slavering at the mouth with irony and dressed to the nines — as in the 1979s. Yet still, despite my wish to have them catapulted, I do share kinship with hipsters in one or two fashion aspects. I’ve got a huge hardon for ex-​military outerwear (thanks, William Gibson’s novel Pattern Recognition and the elevation of Buzz Rickson’s) and as such, when the time came for me to look for a nice warm parka, to Udelco I went.
I was cautioned by a friend that it was a hipster mecca and a maze of boxes. He was right on both accords. Yes, it is a maze of open cardboard boxes — BIG cardboard boxes — with a surprisingly accurate inventory system. Problem is that the quality checking is slim to none. I did indeed find a box literally loaded with surplus N-​2B and N-​3B parkas/​snorkel jackets/​anoraks but there was something fatally wrong and quite very suspect about each and every one.
Still, though, Udelco has something for everyone — no, really. It’s worth a trip to check out if you can withstand irony levels exponentially above normal background radiation. You CAN find ex-​German military greatcoats if you want. Or old Hawaiian shirts, 70s jackets, 60s pants, berets, vintage Levi’s, and literally everything. Lots of awesome Gulf War I-​era tactical boots and desert camo if that’s your thing. But lots of regular vintage clothes too.
Getting there is not easy — bring a GPS. It’s in a corner of Hawthorne that I never knew existed, a tiny light industrial/​commercial pocket in the middle of a residential area. Cash only, no ATMs nearby. Budget plenty of time to dig and try on. this is not a surgical strike shopping experience. It’s more search-​and-​rescue.

If you are a treasure hunter by nature, you will LOVE this place. Picture a warehouse with stacked cardboard boxes labeled 80s dresses, Ski sweaters, etc. Your goal is to dig through these (often dirty and stained) clothes to find that one incredible piece you have been seeking your whole life. There is a lot of cool vintage stuff like cowboy boots, weird sweaters/​blazers, crazy prom dresses. And if you are an adventurous dresser or just need something for a costume party, this is definitely the place for you. It’s also very cheap and you can haggle!
The place is kind of hidden off the main road and doesn’t really have a sign so use your GPS.
PS, If you are like me and don’t always view stains as disgusting spoilers of great clothing but instead as potential opportunities for discounts, you will really love this place. Also, not everything is stained.

Such a fun place!
I’ve been going here since 2011, maybe earlier. Gotta say, its a memorable place to walk around, browse, shop, donate… etc.
If you are afriad of rummaging through clothes and boxes to find what you want… this place isn’t for you. Got an issue with dust? Bring your inhaler.
The clothes are divided into sections like button down suede, Jean overalls, summer shorts… the odd list goes on.
Usually the clothes are stacked in big cardboard boxes labeled with nothing more than permanent marker. It’s like they are ready to move at any time, all they need to do is close up the boxes and duct tape em’. They’re already labeled.
Vintage Tees here are pretty sweet. I’ve found some sweet ones. Like a black T-​shirt for Katz’s deli. How awesome is that?!
The prices are low, usually the guy eye balls what I put on the counter and quotes me a price.
If you are going costume shopping, check out udelco first. Need button downs? Udelco probably has some brooks brothers shirts lying around. Need 100 leather boots? they are yours for $ 15.
If you can get over the idea of thrift clothes, this place is a gold mine.

Gold mine. Don’t bother coming if you are impatient. This is a full day affair. Great prices. My 1940’s powder pink slip with a pleated-​ruffle trim is one of my favourite pieces in my wardrobe.

What you get:
1) Opportunity to find a diamond in the rough (they have everything but you gotta look).
2) A giant warehouse filled with old clothing dating back to the invention of clothes.
3) Cheap prices (got some legit shirts for like $ 8)
What you don’t get:
1) Helpful service (these people were just sitting around a table eating lunch and looked like they wanted to punch me in the face when I asked a question)
2) Brand new gear that smells like a spring day (smell is more like a combination of sweat and cigarette ash)
3) Nice store front with a welcoming atmosphere (feels like this is where you go to dump dead bodies and you would never even know it was open until you turned the handle)
I think this place is perfect to do your shopping for a 80s themed party, high school throwback, snag a cheap blazer, etc. By no means would I do all my shopping here. They buy in bulk so you cannot sell your own stuff. I am not sure if they clean this crap so I would definitely wash everything you buy. Maybe try negotiating prices. I didn’t but thought about it after and I probably did. This dude legit shoved his hand way the hell up his ass and pulled out an arbitrary number for these two shirts I bought (got a dope neon shirt for my next rave).
It’s worth checking out. Can be kind of intimidating but if you take the time and search you may find some pretty neat things.

This is a pretty cool vintage clothing store if you’re into a little bit of rummaging. The place is basically a warehouse with lots of big cardboard boxes that are in various categories. You rummage through the box until you find something interesting. The selection is actually pretty good for men and women, and even a large amount of military surplus, which I didn’t expect. The downside with the cardboard boxes is that you might miss something, but it is kind of an adventure. They are decently labeled and categorized at least.
There aren’t too many vintage clothing stores in the area, so I am glad I found this place. The prices seem to be very low too, which is refreshing a vintage clothing shop anywhere near Manhattan. I will certainly be back since I think there’s plenty more to see even though I was there for about 2 hours!

This place was pretty awesome. The absolute biggest selection I’ve ever seen at any consignment shop EVER! Prices are pretty average for what it is. They have everything from old cheerleader uniforms and football jerseys to sundresses from the 70’s and cowboy boots. Large selection of vintage band tees! And REALLY great for finding an inexpensive Halloween costume!
2 problems with this place though. It’s really hard to find! If you didn’t know it was there, it’s almost impossible to stumble upon. The parking lot is hidden off a residential side street in Hawthorne. And I don’t recall any signs to give indication of what’s in the store.
Downside # 2… Everything is in cardboard boxes, randomly stacked around the building. The men’s short shorts might be stacked on the top shelf in the back of an aisle that’s roped off and you’d never even get to see that box of sexy runners your dad used to where in the 80’s. BUT don’t worry! If you ask the dude that’s working there, he will know exactly where to find whatever you’re looking for. He helped me out some months ago and was very friendly.
Happy bargain hunting!