Field Trip: L&N Super Thrift Store

1830 14th Street NWWashington, DC 20009(202) 588-0020‎
I know I use the word "super" a lot, but there's always some truth when I use it. But L&N thrift store is far from super.
Have you ever wondered where your clothes go if you forget them at the dry cleaner's and don't pick them up within 30 days? Well, I've found them. All of them. They're at this store. They still have the tags on them, so if you have ticket #3204, please come collect your things.
When I approached the store, I hoped the smattering of furniture on the sidewalk out front indicated that I would find some treasures inside. Not so much. The store is cramped to the point of being unnavigable. Most of the clothing is of cheap quality and not worth buying secondhand. Shoes and accessories are sloppily displayed, and also severely lacking in quality. I couldn't find a single bag made of real leather during my visit. And to make things complicated, very few items feature price tags.
Needless to say, this is a place where you really have to dig in and hunt in order to find anything worth leaving the store with. As I browsed I encountered the ultimate DC hipster, complete with suspenders, thick plastic glasses, and a hair cut bordering on an 80s-style 'hawk. He was struggling to cram his feet into some men's shoes to complete his look, but wasn't having much luck. But, he continued his hunt.

Barely visible from the back of the store: the hipster thrifter on his mission
There's some neat furniture in the back of the store, but it's packed in so tight that you can't even browse. It wasn't worth even attempting to purchase anything here. L&N is dingy, musty, and borderline creepy. With so many quality vintage and resale hits in the area, it's best to steer clear of this miss--it's way off the mark.
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