Retro Shopping in Istanbul: The City’s New Thrift-Store District
- Martin
- May 11
- 2 min read
Yeldeğirmeni in Kadıköy has quietly become one of Istanbul’s biggest hotspots for retro shopping, thrift stores and colourful vintage finds.
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Over the past couple of years, I’ve watched another wave sweep through my neighbourhood here in Yeldeğirmeni in Kadıköy on the Asian side of the Bosporus. Every morning, as I walk downhill towards the ferry, I pass a growing number of retro and 2nd hand clothing shops that are slowly taking over the streets.
The area itself is not particularly large - roughly the size of what Copenhageners call “Pisserenden” - yet there are now probably around 25-30 vintage and retro shops squeezed into these small streets. And more seem to appear all the time.
People of all ages come here to browse through racks of retro jackets, 2nd hand shirts, denim, sportswear, bags, shoes, boots and all sorts of colourful finds. Many seem to come just as much for the atmosphere and the hunt itself as for the clothes.
Most of the shops are packed from floor to ceiling - but in a surprisingly stylish way. Clothes spill out onto the pavements, colours burst from the storefronts, and some places almost feel like little film sets filled with their own mix of kitsch, nostalgia and style.
A lot of shops work with simple price categories where large sections are marked 100, 200 or 300 TL - often still well below the equivalent of €10. That also changes the mood. People are not only shopping with a plan - they wander, explore and suddenly find themselves leaving with things they never expected to buy.
It all fits Yeldeğirmeni rather well. For years, the neighbourhood has attracted people looking for something a little more personal, creative and less polished than the rest of the city.
Tip for Finding Shops in This Retro-Thrift Shopping Paradise
Check the map below.
Open Google Maps on your phone, iPad or computer.
Search the area in detail using the words “retro” or “thrift”.
Have a great shopping trip!
