Secondhand by the Sea: Four shops, one sustainable story
By Alexandra Ashe
A spotlight on several storefronts around Newport County where local spirit meets personal style
Photos by Emilee Angell
Pre-loved has never looked so good! Across Newport County, local boutiques are weaving a fresh narrative for fashion. One where style, sustainability, and story seamlessly intertwine. With carefully curated collections, timeless vintage finds, and strong community ties, these secondhand gems prove mindful shopping can be as meaningful as it is beautiful.
Alva’s Attic
134 Aquidneck Avenue, Middletown
www.alvasattic.com | @alvas.attic
Tucked along a well-traveled stretch of Aquidneck Avenue, Alva’s Attic is a stylish consignment boutique that’s quickly become a local favorite since opening in November 2024, following a successful soft launch at the Broadway Street Fair in October of the same year.
Owner Beth Leys, a Middletown native and former teacher, was inspired to open the shop after moving back home in 2020 following several years in Colorado and China. “I wanted to complement the existing consignment stores already on the island and fill a need that exists,” she explains. “I found it hard to consign my own things and shopping locally was limited. I felt there was a need I could fill on the island.”
With deep roots in retail from working at Leys Century Store, the clothing, linens and home goods store her family operated in downtown Newport for nearly 90 years, she began searching for the perfect location in 2022. She found it in August 2024 on Aquidneck Avenue. “I couldn’t imagine a better spot,” says Leys. “It’s on the way to where everyone goes at least once per week, has parking, great neighbors, and the view is the crown jewel.”
Juggling a new business while teaching full-time wasn’t easy. “The timing wasn’t perfect,” admits Leys. “I was just starting the school year in Providence. I made it work with a lot of help from family and friends.” After finishing that term in June 2025, she shifted her focus fully to the shop. “Alva’s is now open six days per week, and I won’t be teaching next year.”
Alva’s Attic offers gently loved women’s clothing, shoes, accessories, and small home décor, all focused on quality, sustainability, and giving back. “Buying secondhand extends the life of a piece,” says Leys, “which reduces landfill waste and demand for new production.”
The shop also gives back through SIP & SHOP events supporting organizations like Looking Upwards and Newport Contemporary Ballet, and by donating unsold items to St. Paul’s Thrift Shop and Salve Regina University’s Business Closet. “Being an active part of this community means more to me than anything,” says Leys. “I’m always looking for ways to contribute.”
Corner Consignment
980 East Main Road, Portsmouth
www.cornerconsignment.com | @cornerconsignment
Known for its curated, high-quality pieces from premium brands like Coach to luxury names like Chanel, Corner Consignment has been a go-to for chic, affordable fashion in Portsmouth’s Old Almy Village for more than three decades. Launched in 1989 and now under new ownership, the beloved boutique is stepping confidently into an exciting new chapter.
After working alongside longtime owner Nancy Marshall for 16 years, Kirstin Reilly officially took the reins in May 2025 when Marshall retired. “I knew I wanted to keep our little community going,” says Reilly. “There’s something special about creating a space where people can discover and share their own one-of-a-kind treasures. And it feels good knowing we’re helping promote conscious consumption and a more sustainable future.”
Corner Consignment has become a staple on Aquidneck Island not just for its clothes, but also for the inviting atmosphere Marshall, and now Reilly, and their teams have cultivated. “That sense of connection is perhaps our most important local service,” Reilly notes. “It’s a place where people come together, share stories, and feel at home. I think that really resonates.”
Unsold items are donated to local causes, ensuring every piece finds a home. “It’s a win-win,” says Reilly. “Consignors earn a little extra income, shoppers find great prices, and the whole cycle supports our mission. We couldn’t do it without them.”
Looking ahead, Reilly plans to expand Corner’s presence through pop-ups, small business collaborations, and local outreach. “There’s a lot of potential for growth,” she says, “and I’m excited to see where it all leads!”
Cabana Collective
31 East Road, Tiverton Four Corners, Tiverton
www.cabana-co.com | @cabana__co
Cabana Collective didn’t begin with a business plan; it began with a friendship. Co-founders Bunny Gold and Emma Kunz met serendipitously while vending across from one another at the Providence Flea Market. They quickly bonded over a mutual love of beach days, vintage treasure hunts, and the rhythms of slow coastal living.
“The connection was instant,” says Kunz. “Our visions aligned so closely. It really felt like kismet.”
That spark became a shared dream: to open a shop rooted in laid-back, earth-conscious values that captured the feeling of perpetual summer. When a storefront opened in Tiverton’s historic Four Corners, they didn’t hesitate.
“We always knew we wanted to build something together,” says Gold. “When the opportunity popped up, we jumped on it. We feel like we’ve found our space here on the Farm Coast surrounded by beaches, farmland, and a like-minded community passionate about eco-friendly living and supporting small makers.”
Since opening in November 2024, Cabana Collective has been home to twelve small businesses under one roof, including vintage clothing and home dealers, local artisans, and seaside-inspired goods. The space feels like a retro, sun-soaked creative escape, where surfboards and sundresses meet antique treasures and sustainable skincare.
“We’re so glad to see how the conversation around shopping habits has shifted,” says Kunz. “Folks are discovering how impactful, and fun, it can be to shop vintage.”
Cabana’s collective model also amplifies the reach of its vendors, offering increased visibility and a platform to grow. And with pop-ups planned across New England this fall (plus this past summer, where you might have seen them at the Newport Folk Festival), the mission continues.
“Secondhand shopping means continuing the story,” says Kunz. “You’re giving pieces of fashion and design history a second life and keeping it out of landfills. Whether you’re shopping at Cabana or your local thrift shop, you’re making a real difference. Plus, you’ll always find something no one else has.”
St. Paul’s Thrift Shop
326 Broadway, Newport
Amid the bustle of Newport’s busy upper Broadway, St. Paul’s Thrift Shop is more than just a place to find great deals. For decades, this charitable retail store has served the local community with purpose, and its impact continues to grow.
Since 1994, the thrift shop has been operated by the Washington Square Services Corporation, a branch of Fifty Washington Square, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting low-income individuals with emergency shelter, permanent housing, and employment support, including job training. Before this, the shop was owned and run by the St. Paul’s sisters.
This transition allowed the shop to continue its mission of recycling clothing and household goods while providing essential work opportunities for residents of 50 Washington Square. Proceeds support the McKinney Cooperative Shelter, a 41-bed emergency shelter for adults, funding housing and training programs. Today, St. Paul’s remains a cornerstone in the community, bridging sustainable reuse with social impact.
Inside its bright and cheerful storefront, the shop features four spacious, well-organized showrooms filled with gently used furniture, decorative housewares, framed artwork, more than 1,000 books spanning every genre, and a wide selection of men’s and women’s clothing.
New bedding, including mattresses, box springs, and bed frames, is also available. Apart from the bedding, all merchandise is donated by the public, with all proceeds going to the McKinney Shelter. Clothing and furnishings are also provided directly to residents with limited economic resources.
But the shop’s true heart lies in its people. Local staff and volunteers power every part of the operation. From managing clothing and textiles, organizing the library, and prepping artwork for resale, to offering free furniture pick-up for donors across Aquidneck Island and Jamestown.
“The community supports us with donations, and we give back through service,” says Susan Schenck, one of two shop managers. “Without our staff and volunteers, none of this would be possible.”
