Search & Destroy

Neat store for the selection of obscure punk and goth shirts. Many of the shirts appear to be brand new, over $ 60 each. Also has hundreds of used denim, leather and military surplus jackets to choose from for all sizes. Leather jackets are used and many personalized by the previous owner at an average price of $ 680. Really cool shop that will shock your senses but overpriced and makes the clothing inaccessible to most.

This is a cool spot if you want to shock the senses. The music they play is great, but the prices are sky high. Lots of porn and sex going on so if your kid is also into the punk scene, which my 11 year old is, this is not a place you can bring them.
Completely agree with Peggah G.‘s review.

I stumbled upon this hidden gem on one of the coldest nights in NYC, and it was love at first sight. When entering Search and Destroy I was pleasantly over whelmed with organized chaos. The store was packed full of the coolest items like an airplane safety life-​vest, weird sex fetish items, and a leather jacket that was covered in nuts and bolts that reminded me of a punk Pinhead.
The employees were super helpful and accommodating too. A lot of similar vintage stores in Chicago I get treated like I’m going to steal as soon as I walk into the door, and the sales associate is always rude and quick with there comments. It might have been because not a lot of people were in S&D due to Valentine’s Day and the bad weather, but I was able to hold on to my bag, take extra clothes into the dressing room, and take a bunch of pics to make all my friends jealous back home. The sales associate who was so sweet gave me a list of other cool stores to go to and directed me to a funky underground sake bar. Although, I can see how S&D can get crowded and uncomfortable in the summer/​busier times but I think it is worth cool unique finds. Just remember to wear deodorant.
I ended spending a little over $ 200 on 4 dresses ranging from $ 18-​$ 120 which is not bad for vintage in my opinion.
My one regret is that I couldn’t look around the store more, but my shopping budget was pretty much gone. The next time I’m in town I will be stopping by Search and Destroy.

Punk attitude, fashion, everything at Marc Jacobs prices. I grew up in the Boston punk scene and sure there is a fashion to it, but it was all about DIY. My point is you don’t buy an already decked out leather biker jacket that’s already sporting studs, pins, patches, or paint. And if you do buy an already decked out leather biker jacket that’s already sporting studs, pins, patches or paint, you definitely don’t pay $ 680.00 for it.
That all put aside i guess from the eyes of a tourist or a trendy fuck, Search & Destroy has an appealing aesthetic.
They’ve done they’re research on what they’re selling, so I’ll give them that.

«Shock me, shock me, shock me with that deviant behavior!» could probably be the motto of the store.
I’m not sure what’s more shocking: the scat pornography t-​shirts or the prices.
The store seems very anti-​capitalism in its merchandise, but the prices definitely don’t reflect that.
Seeing a jean vest covered in punk patches priced for $ 700 caused enough of a shock for us not to venture much further.
It is very crowded even if you are the only person in the store, so if you like space to look around, this isn’t for you.
Most of the tshirts I saw were over $ 50. I get that their lease is probably exorbitant in that location, but meh.

I don’t know why this place would have bad reviews. This is a MUST go if you’re in the village. It’s like being in another world in here. You’ll find good prices if you know how to look and thrift– (you have to «search», get it?) no they don’t have a seating area to try on shoes, this isn’t a NY company or Aldo. They have particular racks for clothing 5 – 15 bucks with band tees and slogans literally in plain sights on the wall. Yes– they display sex toys and bondage gear so don’t walk in here with your kid– by the outside you can tell this stores a bit on the wild side. The employees stare because they do have extreme expensive stuff, and no security. Why would I care though? I’m not stealing. Great store!

I rated this place 2 stars because I’m being nice. Everytime I’m in here I feel extremely uncomfortable and anxious because the only thing the staff does is watch and stare at you like you you’re seriously gonna steal one of those ugly, raggedy pair of shoes. They’re very rude too, acting like I’m just some idiot who isn’t gonna buy anything. Theres also no place to sit down and try on shoes which is awful since the shoe selection is the only thing I really love. Smell is old and stale, and very very cramped. The only reason I was so generous was because I picked up a cool pair of Doc Martens for $ 85 today.

A cool thrifty punk shop operated by kick ass Japanese punks. They’ve got some neat finds. The décor is amazing: phallic things and blow up dolls.

bla bla bla yeah its got a bunch of dildos, fetus dolls, and large silicone women hanging from the ceiling… but, I can not tell you how many good finds I’ve managed to rummage out this place. Buncha cool stuff, old band t’s galore, many ‘a sequence dresses.
If you’re roaming around I always suggest stopping in here

Come in, We’re CUNT. I love that sign and I love this store. The decorations really set the tone for this used clothing store that specializes in vintage rock t-​shirts, punk accessories and clothing.

This place is packed with sweet finds! It’s literally the heart of St. Marks with it’s crazy and thrifty clothing. You can find anything here, the prices are a bit high but you’ll be sure to find something to your liking, theres something for everyone especially those with a wild soul.

Above the cotton candy fumes of Kenka you stride up a beat set of stairs and enter Search & Destroy. You dodge a couple dildos, boobs, and gas masks in the first few sensory-​overloading feet before you notice the utterly loaded racks of apparel and… other things… It’s like you walked into a diorama The Misfits made for group school project and got expelled for. «Pretty damn cool in here,» you think.
If you could say a store had balls this place would have three nuts, a cooch, and probably a tentacle that would be slappin’ yo church-​goin’ mama across the face.
You squeeze further into the packed shop, saying hi to the friendly and fashionable Japanese ladies staffing the joint. You gravitate towards the studded denim jackets. Damn. Pricey. But let’s face it, a lot of work went into the things. They’re unique, and designer. On the plus side they’ll probably last forever. Telling yourself the $ 200 purchase isn’t worth it yet your eye is caught by the lady’s apparel (It’s also caught by a freaky Ronald McDonald, and a shibari dominatrix mannequin, but moving on…). These jean shorts are pretty damn cute, wow, and this shirt, and this lingerie is pretty kinky. You imagine you had a girl who was into this sort of thing.
«Just who do you think is gonna be wearing that?» You snap out of it. It’s your girlfriend. Whoops. You smile. Just maybe… She holds up an old cub scout uniform. Hey, not bad. Quite cute. Shopping is rarely a fun experience for you, but Search & Destroy is an exception.
S&D is all at once an alt/​punk art, designer, and thrift store. It’s an experience not to be missed if you’re in the area. It’s not a pure thrift. They have designer punk. They need it to survive in the area. Deal with it. But if you have the patience to hunt, you’ll find yourself something affordable and cool, and certainly inspiration for the DIY crowd.

If you see my reviews– you will quickly see that I never give 5 stars, and almost always give 1– my profile says why.
Why 5 stars for search and destroy? because many are judging it incorrectly, and I would like to balance that out. By my tough standards, it is more of a 2.5 stars which is pretty good from me, and the only reason it would not be higher is because they could price much more competitively making S&D tough for regular shopping. Still cheaper than douche factory designer stores in Soho. I guess it is confusing to have expensive punk stuff when punkers are usually the ones begging on st marks.
honestly– the rents are too high for any cool business to stay in business, and their only shot is by having large markups on their items. so yes search and destroy is overpriced, but it is authentic, and and cooler than you or me– I think they should charge you a buck to get in unless you buy something, or get slapped in the face with a wet dildo, if you get offended by the store in any way they should make you DT the dildo. Hella cool, hella pricey, I am very happy they exist, and that it offends some people– the world needs more Search and Destroy

Wow! I haven’t been in one of these second-​hand shops since my late teens. And I now remember why … the smell is the unique, but in this case rather more than usual obvious smell of old cloth. The shop has a wide range of cloth and some of them are really nice as well. They also offer hats, shoes and some gory props on the side lines. I think they are just decoation.
Who doesn’t want to look at dismemberment mannequins covered in blood?

Shop staff remembered me only after visiting once a few weeks ago! Really cool. Enjoyed speaking Japanese with them. Heads up, there is an original t-​shirt photo design there of a nude porn star taking a dump into someone’s mouth. For $ 48, you can elicit priceless reactions on the subway and the street with it.
They also have Creepsville666 eyeball handbags there of all colorways for $ 38/​$ 48.

This store is pretty epic. The decorations certainly make for some good observations and I wonder how many of them have an epic story behind them.
But $ 75 for a used Alice Cooper t-​shirt? Me thinks not…

I really really really wanted to rate this place higher, as it is probably one of the last of its kind here in the city. And it sort of reminds me of what St. Mark’s used to be before it started to get more gentrified.
That said it is just WAY too cluttered and exhausting an experience to comb thru the place. And honestly it does not really have the best selection of tshirts either… I don’t know how else to put it but the selection here leans more touristy and poser… awkward and near cringe-​inducing like when you see companies using «punk» as a marketing theme. Of course they carry the obligatory like the Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, and the Cramps, but it seems to end there.
Maybe if they carried the music alongside the other merchandise I would have a different opinion as it would feel like these guys are all in and the store is purpose-​built. I feel bad for rating it a mediocre 3 as catering to the limited number of folks who are into the music probably won’t be enough to pay the rent — sh*t, even Tower Records is bankrupt. With that in mind though, I’m just not feeling it here…

I have to give this place at least 2 stars just for the huge selection here, the classic KISS pinball machine, and the weird display of dolls all around. Fun to look at while perusing the store. The racks and shelves are crammed full with all types of merchandise from leather jackets, to graphic t’s, to footwear among others. Items range from gently used, to beaten up, to «ewwww, I don’t even want that touching my skin».
Basically, Search & Destroy is an overpriced thrift store for the wannabee punk rock poser crowd that now inhabits the St Marks area.
Sure, it’s a ripoff and some of what they carry is not really punk but more like trendy stuff that you see the «kids with money» wear nowadays. Still, if you hunt around the place there are many treasures to be found. Some nice vintage pieces in here and I did see some cool leather jackets on the racks. Still, the prices are insane for what basically amounts to used clothing.
I used to come here years ago when St Marks Place had a real scene and meaning to it. Now it’s a lame gentrified shell of what once was with chain restos and tourist crap everywhere. Search & Destroy has been around a long time and is one of the few spots that kind of hold true to the past, but at an exhorbitant price.

Once a long time ago, I worked in a Hot Topic. To me, punk rock or anything that isn’t «mainstream» has all become kind of an inside joke to me. But still, when I see a «real» punk rock store (it isn’t Hot Topic, so it’s one step closer) I get excited and go in.
This place has a lot of crap stuffed inside. I get the gist, it’s a Japanese esque thrift shop. That’s cool with me. I love Japan. What I don’t love is the strict no photography rule. Really? You celebrate art/​being different but restrict it? That pissed my friends off (I understand why they have that rule though. Most retail shops have them) and they walked out.
I did buy some stuff, and spent around $ 23. The employees were friendly enough, but I guess I don’t look like a target customer with my Betsey Johnson bag and Northface coat. Would I come back? I don’t know. The other stores in the area were more my cup of tea. But should you check this place out? Yes. Just to say you did.

I had a fabulous time at search & destroy. It’s like every punk vintage shop in Japan… mostly American items bought and marked up to ridiculous prices. This is what you expect or vintage stores in Japan, so really, I wasn’t shocked like most of the reviewers seem to have been until now.
They had some badges from a Japanese punk band I like, and happened to have a few pairs of George Cox rubber sole creepers… which have not been produced since the factory in England closed 4 – 5 years ago. I found a pair at $ 280, half of the price of what they’re selling for in Japan right now, so I inspected the left shoe carefully before chatting for ages with the super sweet shop assistant, having her bring the other shoe from the back, paying, and leaving.
This is where things start to get kind of sad for me. I really love the shop, but I was really weirded out by the fact that the left shoe was on the floor. I had decided to buy before she brought the other shoe out, and I didn’t think anything of it. She put them into a bag, smiled, and I was on my way.
I got back to my hotel and checked the right shoe… the black rubber around the outside of the right shoe had shrunk and cracked very visibly, and I was gutted. I called the shop and in polite Japanese explained that I had no idea the other shoe was in that condition, and the shop assistant said, ‘oh, wow, yeah, I didn’t think to check that…‘
I asked if I could return the shoes. The answer was no, and normally they didn’t allow exchanges either, but since she remembered me and it was an expensive purchase, she said I could come and change them for something… I knew there were no more in that size :(. Lesson learned.
I know the shop had to be aware of it… why else would they put the left shoe out? I was kind of shafted, but fortunately I can fix it. Still way less than I would pay in Japan.
Remember kids, check your vintage items before you buy. Even if you did, check again.