A Vintage Tale stocks archival clothing and accessories from the 1950s through 1990s, including pieces from Dior, Chanel, Gucci, and Versace. Its Joo Chiat shop also pours drinks at an in-house bar.
Best for Archival Dior, Chanel, Gucci and Versace vintage
A Vintage Tale traces back to a plan its founder first sketched out while living in Milan in 2015, before bringing it to life in Singapore in 2018, according to the boutique's own account of its history. The shop, tucked into Joo Chiat Road, deals in archival clothing and accessories from the 1950s through the 1990s, with pieces the store attributes to Dior, Chanel, Gucci, and Versace, plus vintage jewelry from houses like Trifari, Fendi, and Prada.
The interior leans into the theatrical — colourful wallpaper and vintage furniture set the scene for what the shop calls 'everything feminine.' A Vintage Tale has also built out a sit-down element unusual for a vintage store: 'Carolina Bar,' a corner added specifically so customers can 'sip and shop' rather than just browse racks. It's a shopping format the boutique markets as a point of difference from Singapore's other secondhand and vintage stores.
Independent gift and design shop established 2008 with a second location in Joo Chiat; known for its resident shop cats alongside books, paper goods and vintage bric-a-brac.
Best for Books, paper goods, and design objects since 2008
Cat Socrates opened in 2008 and has grown to two locations in Singapore: the original Tiong Bahru shop at 78 Yong Siak Street and a second store at 448 Joo Chiat Road. The shop sells books and paper goods, home decor, kitchenware, fabric and sewing supplies, plants, bags and accessories, and vintage bric-a-brac, an eclectic mix rather than a single specialty category. Both locations are known locally for resident shop cats that wander among the merchandise; at the Joo Chiat store in particular, a cat named Zoozoo is often found waiting by the door to greet customers or asleep on a stack of books. The combination of an independent, deliberately mismatched design-and-gift inventory with live shop cats has made the stores a recognizable stop within Tiong Bahru's cluster of independent retail, a neighbourhood built around Singapore's oldest public housing estate.
Independent record shop on the second floor of a North Bridge Road shophouse in Kampong Glam, Singapore, open since 2014; a hand-picked new-and-used selection spanning indie rock, funk, soul, film soundtracks and vintage rarities.
Best for Wide-ranging, carefully curated vinyl catalog
Curated Records opened in 2014 in Singapore's Kampong Glam district, tucked on the second floor of a shophouse at 766A North Bridge Road, next to a 7-Eleven. Despite the low-key entrance, it has built a dedicated following for a hand-picked selection spanning new and used vinyl - from contemporary indie rock through 80s funk and soul to vintage rarities and film soundtracks, with stock including artists like Bjork, Radiohead and MF Doom. The shop is run with a focus on curation over volume, and staff are noted by visiting customers for being knowledgeable and willing to talk through recommendations.
Mother-and-son secondhand and streetwear shop at Queensway Shopping Centre, Singapore (Queenstown planning area) - vintage denim, cargo pants, graphic tees and curated thrift, run by 'Mama Hon' and her son.
Singapore vintage-furniture dealer run by Lorgan Wong, sourcing 1930s-40s mid-century pieces from Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway plus local finds; based near Geylang/Paya Lebar.
Best for Retro furniture, lighting, and decorative objects
Lorgan's the Retro Store is a Singapore vintage-furniture and decor business run by its namesake owner, Lorgan Wong, who began restoring colonial furniture alongside his father as a child. The store specializes in mid-century pieces, with much of its stock - original furniture and household objects dating to the 1930s and 1940s - imported from Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway, supplemented by finds sourced within Singapore. Alongside original vintage pieces, the store also carries reproductions of Danish furniture designs. It has been covered repeatedly in Singapore lifestyle and shopping guides. Listings place the current location at Orion @Paya Lebar, 160 Paya Lebar Road, open Wednesday through Sunday.
Singapore Tanjong Pagar antiques shop — densely stocked family collectibles, secondhand furniture and handcrafted pieces.
Best for A densely stocked family antiques and secondhand shop
Tong Mern Sern is a family-run antiques and arts & crafts establishment located in Singapore's Tanjong Pagar neighborhood. The shop specializes in a densely curated collection of collectible items, secondhand furniture, vintage goods and handcrafted pieces. Operating primarily through social media platforms, the shop serves collectors and customers seeking unique, pre-owned decorative objects and functional antique furnishings. The business reflects the neighborhood's character as a historic district with established antiques trading and secondhand retail activity.
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