vintage hunt in tel aviv: why i chased derelict shops and bad weather

i was wandering through the old parts of tel aviv thinking maybe i’d find a hidden gem. the city’s like a giant antique store with some really aggressive abandon. it’s that kind of place where the weather decide to throw a shivers at you and you don’t even realize it until you’re halfway through a cobblestone alley. i just checked and it’s… there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. 9.71 degrees is the temp, which feels like someone left a fridge in your coat pocket. but hey, layers. i’m into layers.

my approach to this place has always been half-assed. i’m not the kind of person who plans a route. i’m the kind of person who asks a local ‘what’s the worst that could happen?’ and then follows their answer blindly. which led me here. a place my iphone map called ‘unpredictable vintage finds.’ reviews? i heard that. someone told me that the old bookstore on el jin(field) might have a door that opens to a secret shop. i didn’t believe it. but i walked there anyway.

the building looked like it had a nervous breakdown. peeling paint, a sign that said ‘closed’ in 12 different languages, and a cat napping on the stairs. but when i knocked, an old man opened the door. he had a hat made of buttons. i asked if he knew anything about vintage clothes. he didn’t speak english. but he nodded and gave me a map. it was a sketch of some alleyways.

that map led me to a place that wasn’t on anyone’s radar. a storage unit converted into a tiny shop. the owner, a woman with hair like oxidized copper, sold me a leather jacket for 200 shekels. i paid in old coins i found in a park fountain. the deal felt right. like the universe whispered ‘good trade.’

but the weather? it played games. i left that shop at 5pm and the sun decided to disappear. clouds rolled in, and suddenly it felt like i was in a movie set for a period drama. i took a photo of the jacket under a streetlight. it looked like something out of a 1970s drama.

if you get bored, the beaches are just a short drive away. i mean, literally. the coast is like two blocks over if you ignore the traffic. but don’t take my word for it. i saw a tweet that said the waves here are ‘as mad as my ex.’ people post about it on tripadvisor more than they talk about the food.

i heard that. i read a review on yelp about a café that ‘smelled like regrets and espresso.’ i went there. the barista was a woman who told me the coffee is so strong it could wake up a ghost. i didn’t believe the ghost part. but the coffee? it was fire. i mean, legit. i made a video of it. it’s on my phone under ‘ Important Not To Miss.’

someone also warned me about the graffiti in the old port. i heard that. ‘don’t touch anything. it’s mostly drugs and weird drawings of dinosaurs.’ so i avoided that area. but then i saw a wall with a message painted in spray paint: ‘this city is a canvas.’ and i scratched my head.

the neighbors here? i don’t know if they’re neighbors. more like recurring characters. one old man plays loud music at 3am. another woman sells handmade soap from her balcony. i once asked her for directions and she gave me a poem instead. it was about lost socks.

i tried to find more vintage spots using unsplash. turned out the photos of old shops here are either dusty or glam. like this one:

that’s a beach photo, by the way. i don’t know why i included it. maybe i’m lost.

another image showed a tree with green and red leaves near a building:

green and red tree near city buildings during daytime

i thought it looked like a tree having a hot mess conversation with a building. maybe collaboration? maybe rivalry? i don’t know.

and another one with a brick arch:

brown brick arch under blue sky during daytime

that arch looked like it could hold a secret. or a really heavy book. either way, it’s cool.

i should mention the reviews again. i saw one on a local board that said the city’s ‘character is a vibe you can’t un-experience.’ i don’t know if that’s true. but i spend the next day chasing that vibe.

here’s the map i followed:

maybe i’ll go back. maybe not. i have a jacket now. and a story. and a photo of a cat napping on a staircase.

p.s. if you’re into weird stuff, check out this post on a diner that serves avocado toast with a side of regret. it’s on tripadvisor. link: https://tripadvisor.com/r/vintage-tel-aviv.

p.p.s. the weather is still cold. bring a jacket.

vintage hunt in tel aviv: why i chased derelict shops and bad weather

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About the author: Ava Morales

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