V. Vill

wow. «don’t be discouraged by the value village you have to walk through»??? seriously?! I find much better deals still IN that store you have to walk through, items that haven’t already been scooped up, yuppie-​ized and marked up to some ridiculous price so you feel like yr really in a boutique in NYC! wow! not to mention the hysterical laughter and general unprofessionalism would make me question the validity of ever paying another person to browse thrift stores and charge me 3x what it’s worth. this place belongs in noooooduhhhhh.

Maybe I skimmed over Cathy B. & Nicole W.‘s reviews of V. Vill and didn’t process the information or somehow missed it all together because I wish I would have known of this hidden, secret handshake room in Value Village.
One of my friends exclaimed, «you have never seen that blue door and wondered what was behind it?» WHAT BLUE DOOR? Lo and behold, on the left of the books, there is a blue door. It is a dimly lit room with racks of clothing on wooden hangers, small section of purses and belts. Oh my, a secret society of thrifting madness.
If you are looking for anything specific Cigi will search it our for you! Prices are way reasonable. On the Facebook page it says, Tuesday-​Saturday 4p-​9p. Go visit her and like her on Facebook!

Charlotte could certainly use a dose of cool and V. Vill is just that. It’s a speakeasy, appointment-​recommended boutique in Value Village on Central. And Ms. Cigi Guz is the breath of fresh air and mastermind behind this über cool boutique and styling opportunity!
Walk through that blue door and into her mini boutique with twinkling lights in the wall, steel gray painted walls, kitschy framed photos and an incredibly interesting selection of vintage goodies. Cigi sources the coolest vintage and recycled clothing finds. Ethereal dresses, open work sweaters, sequined dresses, silk and lace tops, quirky tennis skirts and that’s just what I saw in one evening. And don’t forget accessories… I spied a fantastic yellow leather clutch and snagged a gorgeous vintage pocket watch necklace… for only $ 28. And she accepts credit cards via Square Up. Nice!
While the offerings are streamlined, Cigi is happy to keep an eye out for items that may interest you, so just shoot her an email if you seek something in particular. But beyond the ever present cool factor, Cigi is just a sweetheart with an incredible eye for fashion and styling. I know Cigi is still working on her website and such, but until then you can check out the goods and contact her via her Facebook page:

Don’t be thrown off by the Value Village thrift store that you have to walk through to V. VILL; it is totally worth the hike! You would have no idea that a cute, well priced boutique was hiding like a diamond in the rough when parking in the lot outside. But upon entering the Value Village, walk straight to the blue door at the back of the store to enter a room with the most fashionable pre-​owned clothing around.
Cigi Guz is the designer/​owner, and she is full of energy and fresh ideas. She hunts through thrift stores to find pieces that need a little tweaking, and after tweaks are made, sells them in her boutique for a very reasonable price. For example, she showed us a dress with a vintage looking flower pattern that had «hideous» buttons down the front. Cigi saw the potential, removed the buttons and added a pretty little hanging crystal before putting up for sale in V. VILL for less than $ 50. To check out the clothing and accessories, go to
.
At this time the store is taking appointments instead of having set hours. If you’d like to check out the store, email
to set up a time. And what better way to shop than with the designer there to make recommendations? I highly recommending V. VILL and am already looking into a time when the girls and I can head over there for some retail therapy. What better way to be (and save some) green?