FAQs

Secret Oktober is a retail store that specializes in a variety of goth, punk, post-punk, alternative, darkwave, metal, and horror styles, and other items in between. We sell both new & used merchandise. We carry clothing (for men and women, from x-small to plus sizes), jewelry (rings, pendants, earrings, etc.), hosiery, belts, patches, pins, stickers, t-shirts, corsets, and more.
Do you have another location?
No. Secret Oktober has only 1 brick and mortar location, 5318 Menchaca Road, Austin, TX 78745.  (You might see old addresses cached on certain maps or on other places on the internet, but those are no longer valid.)
Do you you have a paper catalog/web store?
No, we DO NOT.  Because we have many used and one of a kind items and mostly order from small vendors for the new items, we rarely get the same things in stock multiple times.  We simply do not have time to photograph every thing that comes in.  We apologize to any out of towners for this.  You will just have to make a trip to Austin sometime. Our stock is always changing.  We stock new items every day!
Do you carry new clothing?
Yes! We carry new clothing by a variety of name brands for alternative clothing and accessories.
The big front room of the shop has only new items.
The small back room has used clothing and accessories, along with marked down new items.
Do you offer wholesale?
No.  We are a retail store only.
Do you trade, buy, or do consignment on used clothing?
Yes, we will (most of the time) take used items.
If you want immediate cash, you get the least amount of money.  You get more with trade.  But, to get the most money, do consignment.  We prefer this method over the other two.  This means that you get paid AFTER the items sell.
We’re very picky. If you have something that’s in good condition, name brand (name brands for goth/punk/alternative items, not high fashion or department store labels) or something really unique, you can bring it in.  If you’re looking to make a lot of money, you might want to try selling online. Sorry, we don’t have a lot of room, and we don’t believe in selling used items for high prices.  Also, please make sure whatever items you’re bringing in IS WASHED and has NO PET FUR!!!!  As far as shoes go, we are only looking for goth/punk boots and creepers (TUK, Doc Martens, Demonia, etc.).  We no longer take regular shoes/heels. Please come in on a weekday, NOT the weekend. If the store is very busy, we cannot take the extra time to look at clothing.  If there is not a manager working, we cannot take any used items.  Feel free to call or e-mail to make sure a manager will be on duty.
Do you do consignment on handmade items?

At the moment, NO. We do not have the space for more handmade crafts.

Do you print your own Band or Movie T-Shirts?
No.  We DO NOT print any music or movie merchandise.  We order our concert and movie t-shirts from a variety of licensed wholesale dealers, which is why we cannot always stock shirts from every band that we would like to. All of our t-shirts are cotton and are high quality silk screened, not printed.  We also DO NOT make our own patches, pins, or stickers.  In order to make music or movie merchandise, you have to do licensing deals, and we are leaving that up to the wholesale companies.
Do you do special orders?
We typically don’t do special orders.  However, if we’re already making an order for concert t-shirts, certain clothing brands or new accessories, we can possibly get an item on request.  We cannot guarantee it, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.  Sorry, we don’t go out of our way to make special orders.  One exception is for Alchemy Gothic Jewelry, and that will be with an upfront down payment.
Do you do Sales/Special Promotions/Coupons?
Yes, we do have sales! In order to take advantage of our sales or special promotions, it’s best to follow us through our email list, Facebook, Instagram, or simply view the front page of our website.
We sometimes provide coupons through social media or paper coupons. However, WE DO NOT HONOR 3RD PARTY COUPONS!!! There are sites whose only purpose is to provide coupons. They will gather coupons from any company with or WITHOUT permission. These coupons are typically expired or not legitimate.  We will never honor anything that doesn’t come from us directly. Nor will we honor expired coupons!! No exceptions!
What is your return policy?
We DO NOT do returns/exchanges.  All sales are final!  Yet, we might make some exceptions if something is defective (and was NOT sold at a discount because of it).  You are more than welcome to contact us about possible exchanges, but we judge on a case by case basis and will only exchange under extreme circumstances.
What Methods of Payment do you Accept?
We prefer cash, but we also accept all credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, etc.).  We can also accept electronic payments, such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and all of the tap methods. We will even take PayPal payments.  Sorry, we DO NOT accept checks!
Do You Hold Items?
No.  We do not hold items without payment.
Do you do Layaway?
Sorry, we no longer do layaway.
Do you own or co-own Elysium?
Strangely, we have heard this question many times.  The answer is NO!  We do not own Elysium nor run Elysium.  We support Elysium as a great place to go for going out.  We also sometimes sell tickets for Elysium, however any questions regarding booking or hosting events at Elysium needs to be discussed with Elysium ONLY.
Are you a Halloween store?
While everyday is Halloween for the goth/industrial ilk, no, we are not specifically a Halloween store.  We are open all year round, and we don’t specialize in selling costumes.  Anytime of the year you can find unique clothes and accessories for any occasion at our store. We’re always happy to give you ideas for certain styles such as goth, punk, steampunk, 80’s, etc.