Dr K’s Vintage

I really love all of the clothes here; however, they are way too pricey. If the prices were a bit lower, I would be the biggest fan of this place.

I was disappointed when this store didn’t open (according to the hours on the window). Was supposed to open at four and I busied myself on the block until well after and the store remained closed. I’d love to return, because from glancing in the window, it seems like they have a lot of items that I’d love to look at closer.

huge collection of vintage boots, dress shoes, and leather jackets at pretty affordable prices. also, smells like 20 years of sweet pipe smoke, which is pretty great. really cool space with something for everyone, and Dr. K is a super chill dude. will be coming back

While many vintage stores cater to women, Dr. K’s allocates half the store for men’s clothing. The prices are a little higher than your average thrift store but they make up for it with something that most stores don’t have — choices.
As a dude who likes to alter his look with the frequency of the rising of the sun, I appreciate a men’s thrift store that has a lot. Most of the stores I’ve gone to have men’s section the size of the men’s section in a women’s shoe store, which I mean to say, basically nothing. This is not the case here.
The only issues I have are that the prices for some of the suit related items, like vests, are a little high. Also, the post opening times are merely suggestive — sort of like the speed limit — so you may have to wait several minutes for them to open. Still, I’d a fine place that I hope sticks around.

Dr. K’s Vintage is one of the few brick and motor vintage shops in DC that actually does carry some decent stuff. I’ve come across leather jackets, bombers, shoes, boots, and other things that you normally wouldn’t find at other thrift or vintage outlets around VA/​MD/​DC. However, with that in mind the prices here are much higher than say if you were to go to NYC (depending on where you go) or if you search on eBay. The pieces here aren’t exactly that rare either.
Honestly, I come here mostly to see what they have and if its something that I couldn’t really find online. You will be paying a premium here though. A much higher one.

This is the third time I have been here on a weekday and it is closed during posted business hours. WTF? Super annoying.

This place has really cool clothes, shoes and bags — I’m a fan but I’d be a bigger one if the prices were a little lower. As it is, most items were $ 70 or more, with the dress I had my eye on being closer to $ 150. I can mostly understand, given their location, but definitely walked out empty handed.

Gentlemen, here is your vintage store! That’s right, you have one. Ladies, there’s some stuff for you here, too, but it’s not really your party.
Dr. K’s is run by… Dr. K, and he’s collected enough cool stuff to pack this little, one-​room shop with a good hour’s worth of entertainment, if you’re into this sort of thing. There’s an entire wall of cowboy boots, work boots, and dress shoes for the dapper gentleman. Racks of belts and hats. Varsity letter sweaters. A bookcase of jeans. Button-​up shirts galore. Watches, sunglasses, and wallets. All showing their age in delightful fashion.

As a native New Yorker, I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled upon this shop. It has the right clothing and the right aesthetic. Unfortunately, the place is a bit dusty and phenomenally overpriced. Seriously. You can literally find every piece of clothing that this store sells for a quarter of the cost elsewhere. Do not get tricked into purchasing a «one of a kind» piece here. They are certainly not incredibly unique, and certainly not worth the price tag – and a lot of the merch is in poor condition. Keep in mind, this is coming from someone who tends to drop quite a bit of money on vintage clothing. I don’t mind spending $ 500.00 on a jacket if it’s spectacular. Also, if you’re going to mark up the cost this much, at least SOME of the articles should be vintage brand names, shouldn’t they?
The best part about the store is the experience walking through it and rifling through the clothing, not the clothing itself. Sorry, Dr. K. Rock it Again Vintage next door has you beat in brands AND prices. Try assigning more realistic numbers and perhaps you’ll get more business (and respect).

I know it’s taboo to rate 1 star without going to a place, but the hours on the shop, the hours on Unilocal,and the hours he is open are all different.
Been by the shop 3 times now and it was closed. The sign and Unilocal both said he should be open.
I will try one more time, but I really have a hard time with shops that work completely random hours. Bad luck? Maybe… 3 separate times? Eh.

Dr. K is EXTREMELY knowledgeable about vintage pieces and is very kind and helpful. I’ve bought men’s hats here in excellent condition and for fantastic prices — the same type of hat (but less stylish and lower quality) would be about $ 150 more at a place like Proper Topper.
This place is a treasure trove for men, but I have found a few nice dresses here. Dr. K has an excellent eye and memory, and has put dresses aside for me that he’s thought I might like. He is not pushy whatsoever, which I appreciate, more so he really wants you to find pieces that you might delight in and that fit well.

I’ve never been in a vintage clothing store that had predominantly men’s clothing and shoes. Not so good for me, but I’m happy to share space in the vintage world with the gentlemen! I did find a great brown leather jacket but at $ 150 I didn’t bring it home with me. I was surprised that you really can’t bargain with the prices here. It is what it is. Definitely worth a visit though!

Worst doctor EVER!!! This guy is unprofessional and does not listen to anything you tell him. I was refered by Dr Tarshis and should have expected a quack from him. Dr Tarshis is an idiot. Do yourself a favor and avoid being upset by going to anyone besides him. Wait time is 1 – 2 hours past scheduled appointment time and when the guy finally does come in he is rude, arrogant and seems like he just wants to go home to blow the money he made from my insurance!

Three stars because I cannot even bargain with this guy. Hello this is a vintage shop, who doesn’t haggle. Anyway I’ve always come in and found something I liked. Now whether I thought it was overpriced and left it there is another story. It’s old and dusty. It has it’s charm though. It’s conveniently located near the bus stop on U/​16^th street.
Not a complete waist of time.

I met Dr. K himself, and he is very friendly, knowledgeable, and knows tons about vintage and good, solid American brands.
This place would be heaven for guys. They had tons of boots that even I was envious of! I actually tried to find a pair in my size, but all the shoes were made for actual manly men. Meaning, no boy’s size 6 or smaller (damn!).
I came in on a whim, based on other reviews and the fact that I always seem to be hanging out on U St., drinking it up somewhere. Anyway, I stumbled across the perfect travel bag (I’ve been looking for a while). It cost $ 50, but it was oh so worth it for such a solid piece of Hartmann luggage.
It is piped in cognac leather, with the most awesome sturdy handle, and the body is a soft blue nylon. It has soooo many compartments and zipper pockets, and is the perfect carry-​on size to get through the detector. Seriously, I can fit shoes and a week’s worth of undies and clothes in here. The zippers and lock on it are heavy and in great condition, too. I could never find something like this in a modern version, at any high– or low-​end department store.
Finally, I’ll manage to look chic through airports instead of schlepping through them like a goofy college kid with my Adidas duffel bag.
I’m a big fan of Dr. K. His stuff is sick, and you’ll fall in love if you happen to come across a coveted item like I did. I highly recommend this spot. Even if you walk out empty-​handed, a visit will leave you feeling like you took a whimsical trip down memory lane.

Ahiiite, people this be a REAL vintage store.
It seem DC don’t know tha definition of VINTAGE. This spot got it right. Man I felt like I was in Brooklynn for a minite, minus the hipster scum. My man got it all and can get most eurrything you want, if he don’t be already havin’ it.
Please support this spot!!! Especially in this hood. Show my man some love and buy his shit.

Vintage shopping in DC has been so non-​existent and prosaic before this shop opened. Not just another vintage shop on U street. This is the real deal. Great prices, amazing collection, and flawless merchandising execution. The owner is a super-​knowledgeable and friendly guy as well, which is rare in DC.
There is no reason to go to the other «vintage» stores on the block.

For whatever reason my previous review of Dr. K’s Vintage was flagged. Hopefully, this one won’t be.
So I stopped into Dr. K’s this afternoon to discover that, true to his word, Dr. K had recently added several new Harris Tweed sports coats to his already impressive selection of men’s vintage clothing. I felt like a child in a candy store. Not only were these coats reasonably priced but there were four in my size and it took a great deal of self control to walk away with only one.
Dr. K is truly interested in getting to know his customers. As on previous occasions, he asked me a few questions about my style (i.e., classic preppy with the occasional western influence) and while I’m trying on these coats, like St. Nick, Dr. K reaches into his bag of goodies and pulls out this awesome pair of heritage lacer western boots in my size. It’s like the man is clairvoyant. I was sold. Thanks again Dr. K!

Sick, sick, sick.
The Dr. K in question is a Thai gentleman who used to own a restaurant and has spent 20 years collecting so much Americana, folks at Ralph Lauren come to him to get pieces for its archives. When you enter his store, you see a row of vintage jeans in a large frame — not just decoration but a statement of intent. Dr. K is a living, breathing catalog of the best men’s vintage within the last 50 years. Among his offerings:
—classic Levi’s denim jacket with R. Crumb and black power fist patches
—western shirts with pearlized buttons
—varsity jackets from the fifties and sixties
—slim leather motorcycle jackets
—cheetah print creepers
—American flag pants (!)
On Saturday night I came in here with a very stylish gentleman friend who insisted on my checking out Dr. K. I spotted a beyond gorgeous 70’s YSL emerald green velvet blazer reminiscent of the one worn by the David Bailey character in Antonioni’s «Blow-​Up» that I made my friend try on. As if reading my mind, the owner remarked that the jacket looked similar to the one in the movie, which the character paired with white pants. In short, Dr. K knows his shit. Of course, my friend had to buy the jacket, which was a steal at $ 70.
Women’s wear isn’t anywhere near as abundant as the men’s stock, but I didn’t care. We women have plenty of shops catering to us as it is. Still, I found rock star fabulous coats: a short multicolored patched fur, a mid-​length white fur with brown spots, a black fur vest, and a fuzzy red tiered number with three-​quarter sleeves.
Gentlemen, you will have a blast frequenting Dr. K. I wish I was a boy.

Another vintage store on U street? I can’t complain! Here there is a huge variety of mens vintage styles that you can search through and an interesting variety of women’s clothes… not as narrated in the womens section as other stores in the neighborhood, but if you’re willing to do a quick look through you can find some cool pieces here. Lots of boots and shoes as well more on the mens side of things. I’m glad the men in the neighborhood now have got a vintage store they deserve! Also there is a mean USA set in the back (we’re talking flag jean bellbottoms) perfect for the rally next week. No Card payments for the time being until they get their reader so bring your ca$h (for about the next week to two weeks). Open til 8:30 even on Sundays right now!

I’m not huge into the vintage scene, but I couldn’t help but check out Dr. K while I was on U Street. This is exactly what a vintage shop should be; it’s not a «boutique» with a limited selection and overpriced items, but instead has a great variety and reasonable prices. I definitely recommend stopping in next time you’re in the corridor.

Stopped by here yesterday, and the first thing that struck me was the vast selection of men’s items in this beautiful shop. I heart me some Treasury and Junction, but their men’s selection isn’t the most robust. At Dr. K’s, it took me quite awhile to mosey through everything. I ended up walking out with a snazzy track jacket and a stack full of vintage tees that fit my slender frame like a glove. Pricing was extremely reasonable too – certainly cheaper than the vintage knock-​offs you’d find at Urban Outfitters. There were also tons of cool shoes and boots, but I couldn’t find anything that would fit my tiny geisha feet.
Anywho, the guy working (my impression was that it was Dr. K himself) was super nice and encouraged me to stop in frequently, as the shop would be constantly adding more merchandise. I also overheard him telling another customer that they would be adding more women’s items soon, so the ladies will be getting some love as well!