24 hours thrifting in… Copenhagen

This is the first in a series of city thrifting guides, perfect for the budget conscious vintage seeker who only has a day to dedicate to the thrill of the thrift. If you like what I sell in my online shoppe then you'll love the places I recommend in my guides...

A day to thrift in the hip city of CPN.

A day to thrift in the hip city of CPN.

Before you travel – I always pop into the Post Office for my foreign currency as they don’t charge commission, but after cycling around most of the counters in Hackney looking for Danish Krone on the day we were travelling I found it was a currency you had to order in. So, be prepared and of course if heading to flea markets be sure to ask for small notes too so after haggling you don’t have to hand over a big note. Never cool.

10am – Fuel up for the day with a strong coffee from Sort Kaffe og Vinyl; a super bijou coffee and record shop located on Skydebanegade enroute to Vesterbro. The beans are sourced from local roasters Risteriet and you can get your thrifting off to a good start by crate diggin’ out the back where the vintage vinyl resides.

11am – Skip a few shops along to discover the delightful secondhand store Affaer which is filled with colour pop knick knacks from Catherine Holm enamelware to Smurf LPs – my kinda mix. If you happen to be visiting on a weekday then double back onto Istedgade and dive into Rode Kors Butik (the Danish Red Cross) a charity shop filled with clothing and accessories and go through to the back rooms to discover homewares and childrenswear. There’s an assortment of vintage and secondhand shops along this street so have a wander but be warned the coffee and charity shops turn into sex shops at one end of the street.

1pm – If you’re vintage seeking on a Saturday in Copenhagen then do remember that many of the independent stores close at 2pm. So try to time your thrifting to coincide with one of the cities amazing flea markets. If it’s a wintry month then I recommend heading to the indoor ‘Loppemarked’ held at TAP1 which is an enormous converted warehouse space located in Calsberg City and every inch of the 5,500sqm is filled with kitsch Danish collectibles, memorabilia, books, kitchenalia, clothing and records. That moment you walk in to the sight of never-ending thrift laden tables is the kinda thing that gives me the *Lovejoy tingles! The first 3/4 of the space features neatly laid out stalls and curated collections and the last 1/4 is more car boot style mainly featuring second hand clothes but definitely worth a rummage. The outdoor flea market season starts in April and I recommend heading to the ultra hip Frederiksberg flea market which runs from 9am to 3pm.

5pm – You might need more than a swift half after spending a whole day rummaging ’n haggling and subsequently I imagine carrying a very heavy bag. Head to Props Coffee Shop on Blågårdsgade which is a fantastic little street in Norrebro filled with second hand and vintage stores, cafes and bars. If you still have space in your suitcase then *everything* inside this cosy bar is for sale from the knick knacks and books to the vintage artwork to the furniture. Most weekends you’ll find a few impromptu street sellers on the square in the middle of the street and in December a cute ice rink.

On the way to the airport – There is one main metro line that runs out to the airport and you will more than likely pass through the station Lergravsparken. If you happen to have a bit of time on your hands and don’t fancy hanging out at the super expensive airport then hop off at this station and head to Smukt Brugt on Amagerbrogade. They are the keepers of one of my favourite Danish Instagram feeds and also owners of this sweet second hand and vintage store. Amagerbrogade also houses many other second hand stores so if you have a few hours it’ll be worth it.

For further ideas on where to find the best vintage, second hand and charity shops be sure to check out the ace website CPH Treasures and download their thrifter’s map before your visit.

*Lovejoy was a British comedy drama in the 80s/90s featuring a loveable rogue antiques dealer played by Ian McShane and he often addressed the audience directly in a very kitsch fashion. So corny was this series that it has won a place in my bad taste heart and when I stumble upon an ace find or a cool flea market which makes my heart beat a little faster I refer to the feeling as the Lovejoy tingles. Feel free to use too…!


3 Responses to 24 hours thrifting in… Copenhagen

  1. Kali PomPom says:
    November 4, 2013 at 8:35 pm

    Fabby blog honey and, as usual, super-informative and packed full of tips. It totally makes me want to save my pennies, pack my weekend bag and hop on a plane! Hurrah for Copenhagen! x

    Reply
  2. Ellena says:
    November 5, 2013 at 8:09 pm

    This is a brilliant guide- I am waiting the birth of my second son and am trying to plan a secret get away to Copenhagen fro my husband and I next year for a bit of thrifting action without the children. Your post has lots of great info- do you mind me asking where you stayed or if you have any hotel recomendations?

    Reply

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