Makos Vintage And Thrift In Montauk Stands Out

On Montauk Highway in Montauk, there are rows of stores with trendy, monochromatic, beachy vibes — and then there is Makos Vintage and Thrift.

The brown cottage seems simple, but a step through the doorway reveals a colorful store. The walls are a moody dark teal, with shelves stacked with vintage housewares and racks of vintage clothes, a variety of colors and textures.

Owners Jillian Rennar and Jessica Bradley built the store from the ground up, transforming the space from white and modern to moody and retro.

“We both grew up out here craving something like this,” said Rennar. “So being able to do it ourselves is really special.”

The vintage clothing collection available is completely curated by the owners, who handpick each piece. The aesthetic of the shop is described by Bradley as “retro and vintage.” The store is open year round, allowing for shopping for any season, occasion or unique piece.

“Don’t be shy to dig through some good vintage stuff and find something unique,” Bradley said.

The pieces are all vintage, meaning older than 20 years, or antique, meaning older than 100 years.

The summer 2022 season is showing a retro vibe: The 1990s and early 2000s are some of the hottest looks for summer. Makos offers finds like a pair of vintage low-rise jeans or a knit midi dress, with authenticity being added, since the pieces are truly vintage, not just vintage inspired.

“Fashion recycles itself,” Bradley said. “The late ’90s and early 2000s are very hot right now.”

She added that she gravitates toward pieces that are trendy when curating pieces for their collection. “The great thing about vintage is, a lot of the pieces are timeless,” Bradley added. “So a great staple is a great staple, and it will carry you through trends.”

Rennar said scarves have been a hot item at Makos this month, with their limitless possibilities of making them into a headdress, a belt or a bandeau top.

Makos focuses on individuality, rejecting the industry of fast fashion and mass production. They lean into seasons more than a specific Hamptons aesthetic, almost turning into a dress shop in the summer to keep up with demand. Unlike other local boutiques, all of the dresses are “unique and one of a kind.”

“When we see something we love, we cannot pass up on it, because there is no guarantee of finding it again,” Bradley said.

They hold to being authentic and individual as a business, too, not bothering to fit into the traditional beachy aesthetic of Montauk.

“I want people to understand that some of the greatest clothes are older,” said Bradley. “They are made better.”

The store is all unisex, because of their varying and unprediacable demographic, which the owners consider “the beauty of vintage and thrifting.”

The store features a jeans bar that Rennar and Bradley keep well stocked with vintage Levi and Wrangler jeans in all cuts and sizes, allowing for inclusivity among sizes and genders. There is also a year-round stock of denim shorts and flannels, because “there is no comparison,” according to Rennar. “There is nothing better than vintage denim,” Bradley agreed.

Based on popularity, they always have printed shirts on hand, too — Bradley calls them “party shirts” — in a wide variety of prints and patterns.

They also have pieces for any occasion, from graphic tees to a vintage wedding dress. Many of their pieces are from discounted fashion houses, making them difficult to find again. “When you walk out of here, you are guaranteed to be wearing something unique,” Bradley said. “Everything is super one of a kind.”

The owners are passionate about vintage, and it shows in their customer service. Fitting rooms are always available, and the owners are always willing to help with styling advice for pieces. Bradley says sometimes a T-shirt under a dress, or a pair of Doc Martens, makes a look.

All of their pieces are cleaned before being displayed, meaning customers are welcome to slip into their new piece and leave with their street clothes in a bag — something that Bradley laughingly admitted she does all the time.

New pieces are added daily, as pieces are found. They keep a sewing machine in the back, so that amazing pieces with minor imperfections can be given a second life.

The store also features vintage jewelry. Their rings, being their most popular seller, all are sterling silver or gold-plated silver. They also offer lockets, with a station of vintage magazines that customers can use to cut out images to put into their lockets, in addition to pendants.

“If someone wants to make a necklace, and walk out with a necklace, we are happy to make that for you,” said Bradley.

Rennar and Bradley have been best friends for 20 years, and both have been surrounded by vintage and thrift shopping throughout their lives. Rennar, a Montauk native, grew up shopping at yard sales with her grandmother “literally every weekend.” Bradley, a “summer friend” from San Diego, grew up with a mom who ran a vintage shop on the West Coast.

If a customer is looking for a unique piece that isn’t available, Bradley and Rennar will look for it during their trips to find pieces and will contact the client if they find it.

“We love the hunt ourselves,” said Rennar. “So to hand-select things that people would love, or more rarities or oddities, that’s the fun part.”