Thrift Shop Serves Old Clothes and New Drinks

No South Florida shopping experience is the same. Whether you’re getting your ankles rolled over by tourists' suitcases in Sawgrass Mall, bum-rushed by hype-beasts en route to the sneaker stores in Aventura Mall, or enjoying the atmosphere after finally finding parking around Lincoln Road Mall, your shopping trip varies — and what you find depends on you.

Thrifting is hot right now. So are bars. But nowhere in Miami could you stir a cocktail and sift through thrifted designer clothes at the same time until Thrift Shop came along. The store sits perched on NE 14th Street with a well-lit storefront showcasing a potential “outfit of the day.” Through its doors, Thrift Shop looks exactly like your closet. Clothes are hung neatly on the racks, separated by men and women's sides of the store. Inside the dressers are bikinis and frilly things your boyfriend wishes you'd wear more often. The shoe rack features both designer and trendy options that can accompany any outfit.

Lastly, Thrift Shop features a fitting room behind a curtain — but stepping beyond the curtains pushes you through a wormhole, Narnia-style, into the coziest bar Miami has to offer. Stenciled in blue letters on the wall is the phrase, "Tell your boyfriend you went thrifting." The bar is decorated in vintage decor, stuff your uncle probably has stuffed away in his garage. On the left side, clear tables decorated with vintage jewelry accompany classic seating. Toward the back sits a small stage perfect for a karaoke night, along with a string-light-lit back patio with a food truck and welcoming ambiance. The bar inside stretches back to the “fitting room” entrance, allowing the bartender to serve your friends.

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Courtesy of Thrift Shop

The speakeasy is owned by Travis Rogers and John Fortini along with Catherine Rengifo, owner of Like New Miami, who occupies the pop-up space with a partner at the front of Thrift Shop. With past experience in retail and designing her own swimsuit line, running a store is nothing new to her. “Owning your own store means more responsibility, but you’re not being held from trying new things or limiting your imagination,” Rengifo says. Here, she expresses her creativity by decorating the store with the cutest finds; it’s what ultimately keeps her going. “I can grow immensely and [the store] is mine with my taste. Also having an amazing partner like Jerusa Noveletto with great style makes it all easier,” Rengifo says.

This isn’t Rogers’ first rodeo either. He spent nine years doing marketing and artist relations at Club Space, and was the music director and marketing manager at Heart Nightclub for three years. “Bars and clubs are about providing a great experience and quality customer service,” Rogers says. “The challenge we face is marketing to a demographic [rather] than a mega nightclub. The atmosphere is a little different as clubbers tend to stay for the long haul, while a bar crowd hops from one venue to the next.”

The bar caters to Miami bloggers, influencers, those who love good karaoke and those who just want a good drink. “We cater to all kinds of people,” Rengifo says. “It's a place where you feel welcome and at home.”

Currently, Thrift Shop is open Thursday to Saturday and includes daily theme nights. Thursday is classic hip-hop night paired with karaoke. Fridays and Saturdays, expect hits from the '60s to 2000s. Both the bar and the store are open those days from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., but you’re welcome to shop Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 5 to 9 p.m. as well. With old clothes and new drinks, Thrift Shop is bringing a new experience to the Miami scene one cocktail and price tag at a time.

Thrift Shop. 28 NE 14th St., Miami; 786-261-1496; thriftshopmia.com. Open Thursday through Saturday 7 p.m to 5 a.m. Shop also open Tuesday and Wednesday 5 to 9 p.m.

• Nightlife