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Encore
1132 Madison Ave.,
New York, NY 10028
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Official Website
Hours
Sep-Jun: Mon-Wed and Fri, 10:30am-6:30pm; Thu, 10:30am-7:30pm; Sat, 10:30am-6pm; Sun, noon-6pm; Jul-Aug: Mon-Wed and Fri, 10:30am-6:30pm; Thu, 10:30am-7:30pm; Sat, 10:30am-6pm; Sun, closed
Nearby Subway Stops
4, 5, 6 at 86th St.
Payment Methods
MasterCard, Visa
Profile
Savvy shoppers brave the communal dressing room at Encore because, despite a threadbare carpet and drab stucco walls, most of its consigned designer clothing is barely worn—and first-rate. One flight of stairs above, and a retail world apart, from the luxury-goods stretch of Madison Avenue, Encore has been reselling new or nearly-new castoffs from Upper East Side closets since 1954; according to shop lore, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis both sold and browsed here. With stock as ritzy as its consigners, the store's inventory leans toward old couture or off-the-rack, recent runway fashions. There are always Chanel tweeds and designer pant suits to try on, and a solid selection of Escada gowns, Loro Piana knits, Prada silk blouses, Moschino motorbike jackets and Lilly Pulitzer flower-print shifts—all offered for a fraction of their retail price. Also for sale are shoes with barely scuffed soles, including Tod loafers, Manolo mules, and Ferragamo pumps. A silky cache of Hermes scarves is displayed behind the counter, as are the highly-coveted Gucci and Louis Vuitton bags.