I am sad to report that Steve Finberg, cofounder and longtime impresario of the MIT Electronics…read moreSwapfest, died on April 23, 2021. As it happens, I was just about to write him to ask what the plans were for reopening post-COVID. Steve was always in the public eye, enthusiastically promoting and administering the event, but was also an intensely private individual. His cheerful energy will be missed. The Swapfest was tentatively schedule to resume in mid-August 2021. Monitor the website for any updates.

Cool stuff, great prices. I got like 10 super cool antique radio switches for $5 and my friend got…read morea Leatherman for $3. If you've ever wanted to build your own radio, this is the place for you. There were also very cheap old PC components, perfect for restoration projects. There were fewer Apple components (as I would expect) but they were still very reasonably priced and in good condition for the most part. My only qualm was with the venders. For the most part they were kind and helpful, mostly nerdy in a charming way. There were, however, at least three instances where venders made very sexist, condescending remarks, such as "you should find a boyfriend who can teach you engineering," or "this isn't the place for a nice girl like you, with all these electronics!" Usually I could forgive this, and in all cases I informed them that I was in fact an engineer despite being a woman (a radical concept, I know), but in all cases, when I asked the prices of different components they gave me ones that were significantly higher than usual. I decided to do an experiment; I had my friend (a guy) go to one of the same venders and ask the price of the same component and the vender's price for him was lower (only by like two dollars, but still).

Finally checked this place out and I've never seen anything quite like it. There are 5 floors of…read morevintage/antique knickknacks, furniture, art, jewelry, clothing, etc. in this old building. There is a parking lot but it's quite small. There are different booths and each one is labeled with any sales that might be going on, but there aren't many staff members, so it was kind of difficult to shop. There are a lot of items that are locked in cabinets and you would presumably have to grab someone from the first floor to unlock it if you wanted to have a closer look. I wasn't trying to spend a ton anyways and am usually happy just browsing, so I just got a small ceramic cup that wasn't locked in anything. There was a booth on the first floor selling fine jewelry and tennis bracelets that were gorgeous but out of my price range. There were a ton of eclectic interesting things here, some kind of grimy and some in pristine condition--truly a one man's trash is another's treasure sort of place. I would definitely come again to browse.

This place is incredible, there's 5 floors of antiques and collectibles. Everything is reasonably…read morepriced I'd say. There are plenty of staff available at any given time to assist, I purchased a set of MCM side tables and the staff was happy to assist me with bringing them up from the basement for checkout. It's probably my favorite antique market in the Boston area (and maybe even Mass).

This thrift store has a little bit of everything you could possibly think of from an extensive…read morecollection of clothing, shoes, books, as well as some household items, frames, plates, cups, self-care items like lotions and soaps (some of which could make nice gifts), games, puzzles, and more. Their pricing is also very reasonable, for instance, a leather jacket in great condition was only $12 and a nice set of hand creams was $5. I'd definitely come back to spend more time to look through all the clothing.

A bright and open space filled with books, shoes, and clothing. There's a very limited selection of…read morehome goods and accessories. I didn't take anything home this time around, but I'd definitely come back if I'm in the area.

This vintage market is a total treasure trove!…read more There is no better cure for the Sunday scaries then perusing trinkets with your besties in the South End. This market was stacked with jewelry, prints, clothing, cameras, vinyls, and so much more. The layout is a little overwhelming and hard to navigate with large influxes of shoppers, however, it does force you to stay put a bit and do a bit more digging in sections. The staff was super friendly, especially the gentlemen who checked me out. I ended up going with this $10 Charlie Brown coloring book page from the 60s which is a great deal!

I came here on a Sunday with my friend. We initially thought they were only open while the other…read morewinter markets were but there's a sign that said they're open every Sunday all year long. My friend is an avid thrifter and she immediately knew this store was legit. A lot of stores claim to be thrifty and vintage but sell mass produced clothing brands. This one had very unique pieces, the items were priced fairly, and among the chaos, there was some order to where things were placed. Some of the sections belong to different people so definitely make your way around the entire store. The staff is very knowledgable and friendly. I could spend hours here, but we had other things on our agenda so we window shopped for a bit, but will eventually be back to purchase some items.

Pretty sure I met the owner when I visited, super nice dude! Also the largest selection of VHS…read moretapes I've seen in a while, at good prices! Absolutely recommend this place, especially if you're looking for tapes.

Such a fun and funky shop and LOVE that they were open on a Monday as it's the only day I had to…read morePoke around! Great vibe and music and Pete was such a pleasure and shared great info!

This Goodwill has been in Davis Square for a very long time! I have been going for at least 24…read moreyears. It had has been remodeled. I remember it was a dark and dreary place years ago. Not anymore! The store is organized by color and the article of clothing. Makes shopping easy if you have a specific thing youa re looking for (ex. jean skirt) or by color but I find it better to organize by size. There were a few interesting finds on the floor such as Ugg boots, Hunter boots, name brand clothing. Stocked stoor! Clean. Lots of employees working to keep up with the commotion. Downstairs has home goods, toys, etc... I think maybe they art shouldn't be near the toys (see my photo.) But that's just my opinion. I can share I thought it was the best Good will that I have been to for: 1. displaying books 2. wall art (a lot of self painted canvases) I left with a cute little picture of a ghost on a swing. It was $7.99 which I did think was a little high but I just liked it so much I couldn't resist.

It's a Goodwill, which means you walk in with low expectations and somehow they still manage to…read moresurprise you. There's a ton of stuff. Clothes from every era, furniture that looks like it's been through a custody battle, and shelves packed with random objects that make you wonder who owned them and what went wrong. Variety? Absolutely. Purpose? Debatable. This location does seem a little too proud of some of its merchandise. A few price tags had me doing a double take, like... relax. This is still donated stuff. We're not at Sotheby's. It's an indoor yard sale with fluorescent lighting -- let's keep the pricing humble. Organization is loose at best. Racks are packed, shelves are chaotic, and finding anything specific feels less like shopping and more like rummaging through someone's basement while they're watching you. But honestly, that's kind of the deal. If it were tidy, it wouldn't feel authentic. It'd just feel wrong. You might find something great. You might leave with nothing but dust on your hands and questions about humanity. Either way, three stars feels fair.

This is an exciting new area in Central Square. Starlight's motto is "a parking lot for cars…read moretransformed into a place for people." I came by to buy groceries from H-Mart but instead was surprised to see a bustling new area with pop-up stores and live singing. It looked like there were a lot of local artists selling purses, clothing, and small crafts. While there weren't that many vendors on a Saturday afternoon (maybe five to seven), I was happy to see that plenty of customers were walking around and enjoying the music. I think Starlight has a lot of potential. I'm excited to see how the Central Square Farmers Market is incorporated into this space and whether this'll continue into the winter.

This is a great use of space! Having artful, social community gatherings is such a tremendously…read morebetter use of space than having this be a parking lot. I am so happy that this venue was created at just the right time, when more people needed a good outdoor space to hold events. The venue is really beautiful and well put together, and Michael and his wife do a great job with it.

Great range of quality products and deals to be had! Walked away with several items I didn't know…read moreI needed. Have fun shopping!

Cool & unexpected finds! Great range of more upscale brands at fair prices. Found the cocktail…read moredress I didn't know I was looking for.

What a gem of a store!…read more It's a very curated vintage store. They have a really great collection of jewelry. I was particularly impressed with their ring selection. I have made two separate purchases so far and intend to come back again! Everything is super charming, like the drawer of "little guys" (photos attached!) For in store events they have a DJ playing records, you can shop, listen to music, and purchase a beverage to enjoy while you shop. The staff really care about what they do and it shows in the details.

As someone who really tries to buy second hand, even when on Newbury in the face of hot&new…read moreclothes, Vivant makes it super easy! Their selection is great, their staff is friendly, and the store lay-out is super logical. I ended up grabbing something from their jewelry selection--def worth a visit!

Loved all the opportunities in Boston to shop small businesses and Boston Public Market had plenty…read moreto offer. Having an indoor space with many vendors regardless of the weather is a wonderful option.

Smaller and sleepier than anticipated, with dim lighting by the bathrooms…read more Vendors were friendly, and the space was relatively clean (but could use better signage about bathrooms/exits/etc.) Worth a visit if you're in the area, but I wouldn't make a stop for it