The Brown Elephant

You have to do a little digging to find the hidden gems here, but isn’t that part of the fun? Much more than just clothing, shoes, and accessories (though we did score a killer vintage jacket), you can walk away with everything from books to book shelves for a song. Even if you decide to ditch your goods later, the money you spent goes to a good cause, the Howard Brown Center.

The Brown Elephant, 5404 North Clark Street (between Balmoral and Rascher avenues); 773-271-9382.