Shops Offer Clothes That Fit Consumers’ Wallets

With the markets in slump, more Cantabrigians are finding cheap solace in the arms of others—others’ clothing, that is.

In the depths of the recession, secondhand retailers have noted sharp upticks in phone calls from people interested in selling their old duds for a split of the profits. Others have noticed more new faces browsing the racks. And the regulars who already buy secondhand are now trawling the racks more frequently.

Kathleen M. White, the owner of Oona’s on Mass. Ave., sells vintage men’s and women’s clothing and jewelry. In recent months, White has noticed a dramatic increase in people interested in selling their clothing to her.

“I get 10 a calls a day to go to people’s houses,” she said. “Before, you would get 10 a year.”

THE CLOTHES OFF THEIR BACKS

Second Time Around, a resale shop specializing in designer clothing, has more than tripled the number of branches in the last four years.

“There were five stores when I started,” said Alyson M. Booth, the manager of the Harvard Square location. “There’s 16 now.”