I had recently visited Pacific Grove for a week's vacation. Discovered this charming gem of a store on my last day there. I was impressed with the quality and cleanliness of Nancy's collection So well curated , selected and displayed. I bought 2 dresses and some jewelry and did not want to leave I was completely transported in Nancy's world of fine vintage clothing. Remember Studio 54 in NYC;) Nancy the owner, was a most passionate, knowledgable and fun person. She and her business commanded well deserved respect. I really look forward to returning for another visit as soon as I am able. Great experience. Thank you so much. read more

Came in on a Tuesday morning just as the store opened and was greeted by the owner. I looked at several purses and made friendly conversation. She was overly persistent in trying to get us to buy things. She became more aggressive and when we said thanks and bye, she became very upset and immediately started running around the store turning the lights off and shutting things down. She started talking to herself as we left the store and made us feel very uncomfortable. We could hear her from outside mocking me saying "I want a little bag" repeatedly and slamming the door closed. Though I had expressed interest in a couple purses I told her they were a bit out of my price range being $90! I don't think it is unreasonable to browse through a store and not buy anything... we were only in there for about ten minutes. Cute dog though: 7/10 read more

I went looking last minute for my boyfriends Halloween costume and the owner... Gosh I forgot her name... I feel horrible ... But she was AMAZING!! I walked away with his costume and she dolled me right up in an outfit we put together!! Our costumes were a hit at the party!! Thank you so much! You had a great selection!! I'll be back for sure!! read more

Reincarnation - Used, Vintage & Consignment Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

This store is endlessly charming - a true VINTAGE store, lovingly curated. Nancy the store owner is so sweet. She lets you browse and discover treasures in the shop without hovering over you. Her little dog is adorable too! I will return to Reincarnation whenever I'm in Monterey. read more

Very rude. I thought the reviews might have been exaggerating, but when we walked in she didn't look up she just grunted. I said hello and she didn't look up just grunted. Whats up with that? read more

Went to sell clothes but she wasn't very friendly at all and only said 1970's and older and wouldn't even look at anything. I had good stuff I'll just go to Plato's then. read more

Sadly, things are the same over at Reincarnation. I'm afraid Nancy will never change. Because of my original review, the owner of this shop, Nancy, wrote me and called me a coward, a liar, hateful, and threatened to come to my place of work and "tell the world what a vile person you are." She also said she was "put out" by me spending too much time in her shop because people usually spend a lot more money. If I go missing, you guys know who did it... But seriously, please read my original review. Considering how I was treated, my response was pretty tame. Sadly her response is the one "filled with lies." But yelpers are smart enough determine who is telling the truth here. All one has to do is read the reviews for her shop, in which many people describe being treated the same EXACT way. To Nancy, You're right. I found just one item that I ultimately wanted to purchase. Isn't that what my review says? I did look at several items that you kept bringing me, all of which were severely flawed and at "discounted prices" of 30+ each. I never once asked you for a discount and you know it. You wanted to sell me items that were stained, ripped, torn, and I wasn't interested. But I was nice and politely declined. I tried to buy just one and you responded by openly mocking me, then saying things under your breath, and then walking away while I'm standing at the register. Many, many, other reviewers (dealers and otherwise) describe the SAME EXACT treatment from you. That is not a coincidence. Your yelp response just proves everyone's point. You are a bitter lady, who demands that customers spend a ton of money in your shop, and if they don't you become irate and won't serve them. Then you go online and call them awful names. read more

The worst experience I've had in Pacific Grove!! I couldn't get out of the shop fast enough. If the owner's little yapping dog wasn't repellent enough, her personality was the final assault of my sensibilities. The owner, Nancy Holland, was attending the shop the day I visited. I was inquiring about the sign out front that says "we buy vintage items". Which is no longer the case, they only have consignment. That's not even the issue, Nancy's off putting personality is the problem. She was unpleasant and bordering rude! I'm not sure how she stays in business with her unwelcoming attitude. She seemed upset that I interrupted the book that she was reading. I would have stayed longer to browse and possibly shop, but felt so uncomfortable that I had to leave. If you plan on going in, Godspeed!!! read more

All I can say is RUDE!!!!! I literally felt like I was disturbing the woman that worked there. She wouldn't even look up when I walked in. There's really not much more to say. Made me feel totally unwelcome like I was wasting her time coming into her shop. Sadly I drove many miles to get there. Shame on you older blonde lady with the white fluffy dog. read more

The basic tone of the store is amazing, 60's and older vintage chic. I was incredibly drawn to the jewelry section, where every piece is one of a kind. The shop owner said they were all very old pieces, but some looked exactly brand new to me..however, others were quite unique, and she explained that old jewelry molds were used to create the differing symbols and shapes that adorned the necklaces. Sadly, the owner completely ruined my experience. I had no vibe of her being "helpful" or "conversational" whatsoever. I would use the words unhelpful, and disinterested in making a sale. Perhaps I caught her on a bad day? Sadly, my girlfriends scolded me for stepping foot in this store after I told them about the amazing jewelry selection. Apparently, they had decided to boycott this business due to the hostility of the owner. I guess I never got the memo, but I thought I should pass it on. read more

Lots of neat items here, it's just too bad the owner is rude and unhelpful. The prices are also a bit high for vintage. I will spend my money elsewhere. read more

I found Reincarnation while looking for vintage boutiques on the Monterey Peninsula. I stopped in, and I feel like I hit the jackpot. I walked out with 2 dresses, 1 skirt, and 5 blouses. I could have left with A LOT more. Everything is beautiful and in great condition. The store is lovely. The owner was so helpful and help me find some many great things. She really knows her stuff! I am so happy to have found this store. I will be back many, many more times. read more

I just got back from a trip to this store, and am having a good laugh at some of the ridiculous reviews here. Yes, the owner is quirky, but good god she's not even remotely the evil hag some reviewers would have you believe. In fact, I really enjoyed talking with her and picking through all the goodies. I got an incredible coat for a very reasonable price (she even discounted it a bit for me) and I can't wait to pass through the area again so I can give this place another visit. The owner has a strong personality, true. If you pull something off the rack that clearly won't fit you, then yes, she'll stop you from trying it on for fear of it getting damaged, but isn't this what we all want from shop owners? Someone who can give us good advice, rather than just pushing any sale down our throats? I'll definitely be back. read more

I used to go into this store when I was in my teens ( mainly for my deep love with vintage pieces) unfortunately the owner hasn't changed for the better.. :/ I grew up here, and there's really no place like hers but, I have to say her demeanor isn't top notch and her customer service lacks tremendously. Sorry, but I've given this place numerous chances to prove me wrong, every time I've been let down and empty handed because of the uncomfortable, uninviting vibe I got as soon as I entered the old Victorian style store front. Anyhow, I don't want to make anyone feel bad about themselves- Im only reviewing because there's so much potential in the business. If we (all) myself included, would take a minute to hear someone out, especially if its coming from a good place, to better a flaw, we'd see just how uncomfortable we made situations and how we could have handled something differently, thus, leading to so much more potential... read more

I've been to the store three times - and each time I go, the owner seems more hostile and rude. Her collection is quite beautiful; great quality for a decent price (though I can't really afford it or actually fit into most of the beautiful clothing) but her attitude is declining. The last time I went in, I was eyeballing a few undergarments and trying to figure out if I had the money for it, the owner offered a sale price. After politely telling her I'd have to sleep on it, she replied, "Well that offer might not be there when you come back." Which, I told her I understand, but that I'd still have to think about it. That's when she, quite loudly, started talking to herself, "Well if you're not going to buy anything!!" And got quite huffy. But she wouldn't look at me anymore. The stock is quite nice but I don't think I could deal with the owner again. If only she had an ebay store, then she wouldn't have to deal with customers but could still sell her great stuff. read more

Love love love this place. I found some beautiful vintage peacock jewelry and a new vintage coat and hat. Husband got a great suit. I can't wait to have a night out on the town. I got the best deal here. I love Nancy. She is soo patient, understanding and hilarious. Thanks nancy. Hope to see you next year on our next trip. read more

Great shop! When I first walked in, a little dog growled a little, but she was so sweet once she got to sniff me. This adorable three room shop is filled with vintage and vintage-inspired jewelry, hats, scarves, bags, suits, coats, dresses, slips... you name it! All the pieces are in great shape and ready-to-wear! Nancy helped me find tons of cute dresses and suits that fit me perfectly. Once she knew my size she could find everything in the store that would work for me. It was so hard to narrow it down to a 1950s periwinkle dress, 1960s lace dress, and a bright orange mod dress. Really fair prices. It is difficult to find this many vintage pieces in one place in such great shape! Definitely worth the trip! read more

I brought my daughter here when we stayed in Monterey. She is a perfect fit for vintage clothes. After one look, Nancy, the store owner, found everything in the store that might be a good fit for her. She really nailed it. We had such fun trying on all the beautiful dresses, things you don't see everyday. We narrowed it down to three dresses, all fantastic and all less expensive than the dresses we bought on sale at Macy's the day before. Nancy pointed out a small flaw on one of the dresses, which didn't bother us. It was priced accordingly. If you don't wear vintage dresses, suits, gowns or slips, you might find a spectacular vintage purse, hat, or set of jewelry. Her collection of accessories is extensive. It's like a museum of style history. And the dog is adorable. read more

Reincarnation is AMAZING! Coming from New York City I was not sure what to expect for selection, but let me tell you - the selection here is incredible!! And better still, so are the prices. The clothing is also all in impeccable condition. Safe to say this is best vintage store I have ever been to in my life. I spent at least 2 hours there and would have spent WAY more time but my mother had to get going. Nancy, the owner, is hilarious, helpful and fun, and obviously has incredible taste. I can't imagine how anyone could have something negative to say about her. It was such a pleasure talking to her today. She even called CVS for my mom to see if they had beach chairs since my mother had been on a search for them all day. Then gave her detailed directions on how to get there. This was the best experience I have ever had a vintage store. The clothes, the prices and the lovely Nancy! Too bad I live in NYC and don't know when I can come back next. read more

The store itself is amazing. The clothing displays are also really cute! I love the store and the lady who works there! Definitely reccommend!! read more

The owner yelled at my girlfriend and I because we decided not to buy anything. All we said was, "Hey, isn't that a cool purse?" I guess the owner took that as a binding contract. read more

The owner definitely has the type of personality that people either love or hate. She is straight forward and won't let people mistreat her things without letting them know how she feels. She is high strung for sure, but this makes her very helpful when trying to find whatever you are looking for. I absolutely love her store. Living in Modesto, CA there really arn't many unique shopping options and I never find what I am looking for. I love the 40's 50's and some of the 60's styles. If this is what you are looking for, I highly recommend this store. If you do go please be courteous and respect her clothing and jewelry. read more

Great shop! We are very happy with our visit there. the shopkeeper was very helpful and candid. there are a lot of great vintage clothes there! read more

Just be forewarned that if you do decide to go into this place (which I wouldn't recommend, even to my worst enemy) you'll need to take a chill pill before going in. Bring a couple for the owner too. The owner was obnoxious, rude & condescending from the get go. We saw the sign out front that read "Vintage clothes bought & sold", we walked in & asked for the owner, with a heavy sigh (like we were interrupting brain surgery or something, she said "I'm the owner". We had asked her if she was interested in buying some vintage clothing that we had, (in our hands I might add) she said in a VERY rude tone of voice "Well I wish you would have called and made an appointment" Mind you, we only had a few things & we were from out of town, which we had told her also. She reluctantly looked at the clothing, huffed & puffed before saying that "Everything will need to be dry cleaned before I can sell it". The clothing was in dry cleaning bags with the dry cleaner's check tags still on them, they had already been dry cleaned & we live in a smoke free home as well. She started taking them out of the dry cleaning bags & smelling them & continued to say that they needed to be dry cleaned. To top it off she didn't put the dry cleaning bags back on anything & she just dumped all of the clothes in a chair asking us "Do you have a price in mind?" we said "Not really", she just continued to grumble & said well then I guess you don't want to give me a price then, and this is after she had already low-balled us severely & had been so rude. We know the store has to make a profit, but we aren't naive with these types of items. We then decided to just keep the clothing. At that point she turned her back on us & was making rude comments as we left. We'll never go into this place again & we definitively won't recommend this place to anyone else either. We were done being abused by this woman. In the few minutes that we were in there, she made the worst impression a business owner has ever made on me in my 45 years of being alive. read more

I cannot tell you how excited I was upon first discovering this little store in my new home of Pacific Grove. This shop is full of truly vintage pieces (definitely over priced, especially for the jewelry considering you can walk a few blocks to one of the areas many benefit shops and find equally lovely pieces for a quarter of the price) but still she supplies a beautiful range of pieces from every decade you'd hope to find! Exactly the kind of place I love to browse every time I take a stroll around town, and go to when I need something special, EXCEPT that the owner is NOT OKAY with this type of customer. I have visited this store 3 times, each time hoping for a different experience, but alas, the service is consistently uncomfortable and offensive. If you can afford to walk in and be guilted into spending a couple hundred dollars then you will leave thinking this women is the most helpful delightful shop owner you've ever met, if you do not wish to try anything on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th.... time she asks (or perhaps I should say harrasses) you to in the first 10 mins you are in the store, you will quickly see her attitude decline to the most rude and horrifying shop owner you have ever encountered. She literally huffs and puffs around the store frantically adjusting things in an obvious rage, making it nearly impossible to enjoy browsing even if you try going in with a mind to ignore her. On my second visit I was looking for accessories to go with a dress I had purchased for a friends wedding, she was eager to help me find something and spent an uncomfortable amount of time trying to convince me that certain pieces I knew I was not interested in would work, I did however find a clutch that I loved and when I went to purchase it, stating politely that I would just get the bag for now and consider the other items later because I was in no rush, she began grumbling and making outright nasty remarks about me not buying any jewelry, If I had not loved the bag so much I would have thrown it in her face and walked out, I had never been treated so badly in my life, especially considering that I was a paying customer. How this women can stay in business treating people this way I do not know! Definitely the worst shopping experiences of my life! read more

wow, this lady is soooo rude!!!! she seriously needs to learn how to deal with the public better!!! i was just blown away by her. but i must say, her clothing is amazing. i am a 40's/50's pin up model and always searching for unique, great quality vintage clothing. she has all of this and more! if i had the money, i would have bought soooo much stuff that day! but its a shame that she ruins it with her bi polar attitude. let me summarize my experience with her: first walked up to the shop- she had a split door with the top half open and the bottom shut. her dog jumps up on the door barking like crazy. so i stand there frozen thinking, "okay is she closed or something"? how do i enter a store when the dog is telling me i am not welcome! so the owner finally comes out from the back, gives me a dirty look when i ask if she is open, and just says, "ya, door is open" so we go inside and the dog keeps barking NON STOP, very loudly and frantic. I had my 3 year old son with me and he was trying to pet the dog but it just kept barking and the lady did nothing. finally my husband says, "ok, your dog needs to stop barking at my son or we are leaving". so she finally took the dog in a back room, but with an attitude. then, when she comes back in, she is super nice and talkative, like a totally different person! for the next 30 mins she helped me pick some beautiful dresses, she was a big help, and so nice! then, after i tried them on and was ready to pick my favorite dress (her dresses are each around $80, so i could only afford to buy one) she actually said this to me, and very rudely, "are you serious? you are only going to get one dress? wow, i thought at least 3 or 4. whatever, thats when i say you are waisting my time" and walked away! she didnt say another word to me until i went to the register with my purchase!!! i was blown away by her attitute! when we were paying she was mummbling to herself and kept snikering saying stuff like, "wow, i cant believe this, seriously, what a waste, you are like way under $100". our total was $92. i was so mad i wanted to slap her but we kept our cool and were nice and polite the whole time. A customer is a customer, it should not matter how much we spend! so, to nancy, the owner, i know you read yelp, you told me you hate the site and people give you bad reviews for no reason. well, they had perfectly good reason! I will come back to your store, and i will probably only buy ONE thing! gasp! its fortunate for you that you have great taste in vintage clothing, because if it wasnt for that, i know you would be out of business by now! good luck to your future customers!! read more

I will never be back to this store ever again. Just moved to the area and I love vintage clothing. Couldn't wait to check this place out! I was looking for a dress in particular and found a few matches. She had great stuff and was really helpful. She picked out dresses for me that she thought would look good on me and helped as much as she could. But when I told her I still wanted to look at other stores before making a decision to buy anything she stormed away knocking things over. I was in the middle of a sentence and she completely ignored me and walked away from me. Then came back and said "so your not gonna but anything?" And I said no politely and tried to explain again but she just stormed off once again. I couldn't believe the way she acted. read more

Unique and lovely clothes. Many one-of-a-kind productions, often beautifully re-imagined and repurposed from vintage finds. I've gone in there and just glided from room to room in a happy reverie. Then the waves of hostility start to build and buffet (the owner) and I end up leaving. I can take the common ennui/disenfranchised/bored-bored-bored retail attitude, but there's something disconcertingly active and negative about this vibe. Odd. Hmm... might just want to plug into your iPod so you can drown out the 'tude and enjoy the clothes. read more

initially i was so excited to find her store with wallet in hand - a nice selection of small size vintage clothes - i did not feel welcome & left as fast as i could get out read more

Probably the 2nd time I went to the store and this time she was worse than the last, and last time she was rude too. This time I was looking for a dress to wear for one nite. At first the owner said hi, and can I help you? I went into one of the rooms and found something similar to what I was looking to buy. I told her I liked one dress but it was a little more than I wanted to pay. She asked how much it was. I told her $55. From then on she was RUDE! Telling me well I dont have anything cheaper than that. She went and sat down and didnt help us anymore. So we decided to leave. She grumbled in a low unpleasant voice bye. I can say that I will not be returning and I would NEVER recommend any of my friends to go there. For a shop owner to be so rude, you will not get a good return customer base. Also I see that by other reviews she has a habit of treating people bad. Learn how to be pleasant, and what customer service is all about. I do have money and if she was actually nice or tried to be helpful I may have considered buying something. I went to another second hand store a few shops down, they were having a sale and I got a great dress for $8. And the people there were 1000% nicer. read more

I was visiting Pacific Grove with my beau and he insisted we go into this shop since the thrift store on the same block was closed. What a dream this shop is! We entered the place and were met with two very friendly small dogs, one that is the shop owner's, Nancy's, dog and the other who was her foster dog. We spent at least two hours in there, chatting with Nancy, bonding over pet rescue and discussing fashion, popular music and the East Coast, where Nancy and I both grew up. She gave me an excellent discount as I decided to purchase more than one item. My significant other approved with the dresses I chose, and was smiling as we left. I have to bring friends back to this place, as we usually shop together at places like this. I especially want my friend B. to join us as she does dog rescue and is cleaning out her vintage collection of gems that no longer fit. Nancy said she is always looking for vintage clothing in good shape for her stock and she does trade credit. The store features MANY different sizes, which is very helpful when one is shopping in a group of different sizes of women. I give this place two thumbs up! Thanks, Nancy for the friendly service, discount and good conversation! read more

I remember shopping here 20 years ago, and Nancy is still there, living upstairs! I was trying to buy some vintage clothing online from a national retailer, and I found something and paid for it, and then got an email two days later that it was "out-of-stock". So, I walked into Reincarnation today and told Nancy I was trying to find something for a birthday present for a "Renaissance-lady" friend of mine, and asked here if she might have an off-white knit cape in size 6-8? She took me right over to a rack and pulled one off--perfect! Just $55.00--a bargain! No tears or discoloration. The whole shopping experience took under 5 minutes. Couldn't have been easier. This is not a junk store--the merchandise is something you would be proud to give anyone who is into this style of clothing. The store is situated conveniently Downtown in charming Pacific Grove in a vintage two-store Victorian building. There are cheap stores around, but nothing like this! Nancy appreciated my business, and I will probably do some Christmas shopping there after Thanksgiving. read more

AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING!!! If you are a fan of real, authentic vintage this is a hidden treasure trove of goodies that would normally sell for far higher prices elsewhere. Great service and new things every time I have the pleasure of visiting this wonderful boutique!! read more

The shop had very nice clothing, but the owner makes it less attractive to want to shop there. I don't know who May have told her she should own a store, but she seems miserable and it comes off in your shopping experience. Either that or she thinks she's in New York in some swank shop. I suggest you put some of the money you make and take a class in customer service. read more

Well, I have been back a lot! I love this store. Every time I visit Nancy is so helpful. She is amazing at accessorizing every outfit I try on. Believe me I try on a lot but I do hang them back up! Why not be a kind customer too...right? I never leave there empty handed. read more

Had an opportunity to get to this store this last weekend, Pretty amazing selection that was well organized for a vintage shop. Can't tell you how many "high end' vintage shops in SF and LA have 70s items marked as 50s and 50s items marked as 30s. The owner knew her stuff and took care of the garments in her store. Some nice pieces at decent prices. Yeah you can do better on estsy or whayever, but when you have the garments in hand to check for condition and smell, it's worth a little extra cash. To that, I can understand why she may have turned down some of the pieces other reviewers were complaining about. I like to see somebody who is proactive about vetting pieces that smell like smoke or mildew from The owner is a strong character. I have seen some of the other reviews that they felt offended by her. Considering some of the lookie loos and thrift shop raiders who make running a vintage store a living hell, I would not pass judgement too fast. We did get sized up on entering the store, and when it became apparent that were vintage clothing fans and not just random PG housewives who don't understand the concept of vintage, we got great and knowledgeable service. read more