Typically found off the beaten track, the second hand shop is a place you can find a gem of an item for a fraction of the price. The shops are often called vintage shops due to the things they sell. Usually shopped at by students, they are a useful place to find anything from fancy dress clothes for a student themed night out on the town, to classic clothes that you really want but they don’t make anymore; it can be like diving into a fashion time machine where tie dye t-shirts and Mick Jagger-esque headbands line the rooms from wall to wall. You can also find gadgets and toys in second hand shops and even though you cannot figure out what they do, you still end up feeling like you need to buy them.
   Normally going hand in hand with a waxy smell, the stores are full of everything from denim jackets and old 70’s football shirts. The type of person that usually shops at a second hand shop may be an ‘edgy’ student looking for a bargain. As shops like Primark are normally cheaper than the second hand shops it is not just the prices that attract people. It is the thrill of finding something no one else will have or ever be able to find. Unlike when buying from a high street shop and you walk out the door to see five people wearing the t-shirt you just spent a fortune buying. Second hand shops offer a uniqueness that other shops cannot.

By Gregory Reid, Exchange Student, Northumbria University