NichtNeu is Nicht Neu :(

When I was looking for data resources on the thrifting-scene in Zürich, I was thrilled to find NichtNeu: the coolest Züri website I've ever seen! (Designed by "Hello", apparently! If I was in the market, I'd hire these guys for sure!).

 

The hearts are my favourite retro wallpaper! Such a cool site!

It has an "A-Z" of all the thrift stores in the city and surrounding areas, with descriptions and photos and everything. You can even search for thrift stores by item type, or by relative cost. You can search by neighbourhood (Wo), too.

Unbearably cool, but sadly inaccurate now. Ah well.

Kreis 4 really is where it's at. As in the proverbial 'it'.

More exciting was the cool layout and visual appeal of this retro-flavoured internet offering. I honestly thought I had hit the Mother Lode, and that my days of wondering "what else is out there" were over.

Love the slot-machine styled Flash animation!

It's not that NichtNeu isn't awesome, or one of the cooler websites I've ever used... it's that it is, as the name implies, NOT NEW.

As in, not newly updated in yonks.

Even the info is retro, sadly. ;)

I've personally sent 3 emails to update the site's management about inaccuracies (for example, BrockiWest, Berta 6 and other thrift stores that have long since ceased to be!), and I have never received a reply. Not that I required one, but I notice that the site has not been updated, either.

BrockiWest is still listed as a 'new' shop, but by the time I got to it, it had vanished (I even sent the owner of BrockiWest an email to confirm this, which he did). CARITAS kleider netto is listed as being on Josefstrasse, and judging by the photos, it was a long while ago now.

It seems, in the "About Us" section, that Aline Ozkan had written the definitive "Brocki-Guide" for Zürich in 2002, which had several subsequent editions (they mention 7!). What a great idea! Unfortunately, it seems as though she hasn't produced another edition of the guide since 2012, which isn't much help for us halfway through 2014. :(

NichtNeu also has a facebook page, but the last update was 1 year ago to the day, on 25 May 2013 (still, it's probably been updated more recently than the website itself).

NichtNeu may be abandoned. But I hope it's only temporary.

It's still the neatest website ever, and I can recommend it with the following caveats:

1. You don't rely solely on its veracity
2. You can confirm the existence or location independently elsewhere (and you can be reasonably confident that the information is recent

Give it a try, but be sure to cross-reference the data you intend to use. I'll try to be a current resource to buoy the sinking NichtNeu's recommendations, but always check the store's website before you head out - it's the most likely to be accurate (though this isn't always the case!).

And sometimes there are lovely tidbits like upcoming sale dates on the individual Brocki's website, too. Always check at the source - it only takes a minute!

It looks as though the '2014' edition can be ordered off the website, or through certain retailers (Orell Füssli, TIGEL, etc.), but I'm not sure I want to shell out 23.80 CHF unless I can see what's inside first! I will keep an eye out for it all the same and report if I find it!

In the meantime, Keep Strong and Thrift On!

TiZ