Second-hand shops in Barcelona can be a bit of a mixed bag. They either resemble the one room in your home where you throw everything in for storage or they have you handing over wads of cash for an item of furniture that looks very similar to something you threw out years ago. But in general, second-hand shopping can be a very fun and rewarding experience, particularly when you spend the time scouring through piles of pre-loved goods and you find a hidden gem for a great price. Complementing the many second-hand and vintage markets held almost every weekend in Barcelona, there are several stores around the city that specialise in restoring and refurbishing furniture or simply have the second-hands goods for sale for you to take home and work on yourself. The barrio of Sant Antoni in Barcelona, with its eclectic mix of hipsters and housewives, has several options for the discerning second-hand shopper ranging from the ‘spare room storage’ options through to workshops where pieces are lovingly restored to their glory.
Related article: A Thriftster’s Guide to Barcelona
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Valnot
Photo by Karen Matthews
Valnot describes itself as not just a shop but a workshop where furniture is recovered, recycled and restored. It has a small interior with the working space for furniture restoration located above. There’s an amazing selection of lamps as well as other household accessories. You’ll also find larger items of furniture such as desks, coffee tables, and dining tables. Valnot also runs workshops for people interested in furniture restoration. Valnot is located at Viladomat, 30.
Casi 9
Photo by Karen Matthews
Casi 9 is a buyer and seller of pre-loved goods and is a good place to go if you’re looking for some decorative items for around the home. There’s a great range of kitchen items including measuring scales, glasses, plates and platters in addition to other trinkets such as old boxes, vases, and ornaments. At the back of the store, you’ll find some retro light fittings that will look great hanging from the roof of any apartment in the traditional Eixample style. Casi 9 is located at Calàbria, 17.
Related Article: Vintage Barcelona
Cash Compra Exchange
Photo by Karen Matthews
At the other end of the spectrum in terms of second-hand shops in Sant Antoni is Cash Compra Exchange. Over two stories, this is a place where you’ll find just about every pre-loved household item from used lamps to unwanted framed prints through to old sets of drawers and storage units. Unlike Casi 9 and particularly Valnot, where there’s scrutiny by the seller in terms of what’s on offer, Cash Compra Exchange is a place where you’ll need to do a bit of searching to find a treasure that you’ll want to take home with you. But with a bit of perseverance, there are potentially some good buys to be found at this store that’s located on the corner of Comte Borrell and Marquès de Campo Sagrado.
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