Summary Block
Cape Town, South Africa's pre-loved shopping scene spans high-end vintage, charity shops and community thrift stores, mostly concentrated in the city centre and southern suburbs. Local media has rounded up 7 representative thrift/charity stores, covering Long St, Lower Burg, Claremont, Mowbray, Fish Hoek and beyond, run by independent curated vintage spaces, national community network stores and nonprofits supporting rural education or disability programmes.

Key Points

  • A total of 7 stores made the list, located in Cape Town City Centre, Claremont, Mowbray, Fish Hoek and other areas.
  • Ons Winkel belongs to the Solidariteit Helpende Hand network, with multiple branches in Milnerton, Maitland and Durbanville.
  • The Long St store specialises in second-hand winter wear, coats and heavy jackets, while the Claremont store is known for old furniture, old books and hardware sundries.

Vintage and Designer Pieces with a Local Flavour
A store at 14 Lower Burg in the City Centre positions itself as high-end vintage, focusing on iconic vintage coats, 80s/90s streetwear and design-led pieces, targeting shoppers after an "authentic" vintage look.

On Imam Haron Rd 7708 in Claremont there are two stores with different styles: one is a curated boutique space bringing together independent racks, local pre-loved brands and footwear, where second-hand high-end ready-to-wear, vintage sneakers and local designer pieces can all be found, open Monday to Friday 8.30am–4pm and Saturday 8.30am–1pm; the other is a local "old faithful" supporting charity projects for people with intellectual disabilities, selling second-hand furniture, books, clothing and assorted odds and ends, with the same hours.

Thrift Shops Backed by a National Network and Rural Education
Ons Winkel belongs to the Solidariteit Helpende Hand network and is a typical community thrift store, with a jumble of donated goods and a focus on low-priced clothing, old books, household items and collectibles. Another store advocates using thrift operations to fund mobile libraries and education in rural farming communities; located at 6 Victoria Rd in Mowbray, it also has stores in Retreat and Kirstenhof, featuring second-hand books, children's toys and casual clothing.

Charity Shops Focused on "Warm Clothing"
A store on the southern peninsula supports local medical and development programmes, focusing on affordable family clothing, appliances and home decor; meanwhile the organisation at 21 Long St, while providing clothing to those in need, uses proceeds from selling pre-loved apparel to support winter coat donations across the African continent. (Note: compiled from a media report listing Cape Town thrift stores)

Source: 7 of Cape Town's must visit Thrift stores · Originally published 2026-10-08