If you’ve walked down Troutman Street recently, you’ve probably seen a new shop door open: Other People’s Clothes – OPC for short. It opened earlier this month and it’s the second place in walking distance with the name – there’s one in Ridgewood that’s been a going concern since 2020. Both stores feel like beautiful, open spaces; full of good vibes, and, well, other people’s clothes.
Owners Christine Costello, Pat Noecker and Jane Herships are no strangers to the buy, sell, trade game. Their journey to OPC started with a boutique that Costello and Noecker owned in Ridgewood called Feels, which opened in 2018 and closed a few years later. It was a small shop, packed with vintage clothes, art and other accessories. This “was really exciting,” Costello says now. “We got to know a lot of people in the neighborhood, [but] there’s one thing that kept happening… Everybody kept asking if they could sell. And I was like, ‘Ah, okay.’ And it was a year of that.”
Costello and Noecker tried doing that a bit at Feels – “I come from a buy, sell, trade background, I worked for Beacon’s Closet for 13 years,” says Costello. The space at Feels was small, however. Operating a buy, sell, trade requires “space and staff.” This brought Costello in contact with Herships, who ran a booth at Brooklyn Flea with the name “Other People’s Clothes.” Now, they’re here.
“We’d love for you to help us out… but we’re gonna have to take your name. It’s kinda too good.” Costello says. Now she claims her business in Ridgewood rivals more established vintage names like Beacon’s Closet or L Train Vintage. “It feels cool to be a part of that group,” she says.
Moving to Bushwick was a big deal too.
“Bushwick really was that next frontier,” she says. “You’re seeing all the trends in full force… Bushwick is its own destination, and as a business owner that’s exciting.”
Unlike a lot of other “buy, sell, trade” stores, Costello says that OPC has a mission.
“When you ask [someone] what their experience is like selling at buy, sell, trades in New York City, it’s usually pretty intimidating, or it feels like a cool kids club,” she says. Per Costello, this is not the case at the two stores she runs.
On an ordinary day, a vegan leather bag – from the Canadian brand Matt and Nat – can be found going for about $20. Prada wedges go for $50. The two stores regularly post new items for sale on the stories function of their Instagram accounts. Says Costello: “If you are from this neighborhood, no matter what your income level is, you can walk in here and buy something for $7.98.”
“We aim to be a truly inclusive store,” she adds. “There’s no brands that we say absolutely no to and no size that we say no to.”
OPC Bushwick is located at 333 Troutman Street and is open every day from 11AM-9PM. Their Ridgewood location is at 885 Woodward Avenue and it is open everyday from 11AM-8PM. Both also sell things directly on Instagram.
All photos taken from OPC’s Instagram accounts.
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