Street-shopping is a time-honored city tradition. There is nothing a New Yorker loves to brag about so much as their new pashmina scarf/gloves/rip-off handbag that they got “on the street for like 5 dollars!” – nothing, that is, except for scoring something cheap and vintage.

Morningside Heightsers embracing the mantra of their adoptive home can now combine their two favorite boasting claims and…buy vintage on the street! 

Laurent Ghislaine has been setting up shop on the east side of Broadway between 108th and 109th since 2005, packing her huge white van full of old fur coats, costume jewelry, hats, and cashmere sweaters. She’s been in the vintage industry for 23 years, and has a basement full of gems at home in Pennsylvania. But why choose 109th Street? Well, “kids love vintage and are always very happy to see me,” she answers, but explains that she doesn’t have a permit to sell a few blocks up, closer to campus.

You can find her at Barnard’s vintage clothing fair, or at Low’s beginning-of-year street fair, but Ghislaine wishes “they could put me up there all the time” as business on 109th is sometimes slow. So walk a block and a half past American Apparel this Wednesday or Friday and find a cardigan that every single person you know doesn’t have.