The air in Roma Norte carries a scent of roasting coffee mixed with old cedar and the faint, chemical tang of high-grade boot polish. On Calle Colima, the pavement is a catwalk for the city’s architects, painters, and musicians, all moving beneath the canopy of sprawling jacaranda trees. This is the geographic heart of Mexico City’s creative boom, but the true spirit of the aesthetic is cached behind the black-framed windows of Goodbye Folk. To step inside is to enter a laboratory of sartorial resurrection, where the 1970s never ended—they simply evolved into something sharper, more durable, and inherently Mexican.
The Altar of Custom Leather
Goodbye Folk is not a thrift shop; it is a bespoke institution. While the racks are heavy with curated finds, the back of the store acts as a functional workshop where the brand’s signature custom boots are conceptualised. These are not the mass-produced fast fashion mimics found in malls. They are heavy, architecturally sound nods to the psychedelic era, crafted from thick, butter-soft leathers in hues of oxblood, mustard, and forest green.
The craftsmanship leans on Mexico’s deep-rooted history of leatherwork, particularly the traditions exported from León. However, the silhouettes here are strictly rock-and-roll. The "Platform 70s" boots, with their exaggerated heels and square toes, have become a uniform for the CDMX indie scene. Customers choose their skin, their height, and their stitching, waiting weeks for a pair of shoes that feel as though they were unearthed from a private locker at the Troubadour in 1974.
A Curated Dossier of the 1970s
The curation within the shop focuses on a specific, high-glamour grit. You will not find basic polyester blends or generic denim. Instead, the racks hold rare bell-bottoms with legitimate five-inch flares, embroidered western shirts with pearl snap buttons, and pussy-bow blouses that look ready for a night at the Salon Los Angeles.
The selection reflects the specific history of Mexico’s own "La Onda" movement—the 60s and 70s counterculture that fused American rock with local psychedelic sensibilities. There is a weight to the garments here; the denim is stiff, unwashed raw cotton, and the silk scarves carry the heavy prints of a decade that wasn't afraid of a clash. Hunting through the hangers, you might find a deadstock leather jacket with fringe detailing that reaches the waist, or a pair of high-waisted trousers in a geometric knit that feels entirely modern despite being fifty years old.
The Barbershop and the Social Contract
Goodbye Folk functions as a community hub as much as a retail space, largely thanks to the in-house barbershop located at the rear. The aesthetic transitions seamlessly from the clothing to the grooming. Here, the hum of electric razors provides the soundtrack to the shopping experience. The barbers specialise in the classics: high-taper fades, pompadours, and straight-razor shaves that require a level of patience seldom found in the modern city.
The chairs are usually occupied by locals discussing the latest gallery opening at OMR or the setlist from a show at Foro Indierocks!. This social element prevents the store from feeling like a museum. It is a living space where the style is being worn, maintained, and debated in real-time. To sit for a shave here is to buy into the Roma Norte lifestyle—one that values the ritual over the result.
Calle Colima: The Runway of the Refined
Outside the shop doors, Calle Colima serves as the perfect testing ground for a new wardrobe. The street is a masterclass in urban planning, lined with Porfirian-era mansions and Art Deco facades. A short walk from Goodbye Folk leads to the Casa de Francia or the lush gardens of Plaza Rio de Janeiro, where the David statue stands as a silent sentinel over the neighbourhood’s well-dressed inhabitants.
The energy of the street is reflected in the store’s inventory. Roma Norte has become a global destination not because it mimics Europe or New York, but because it has mastered the art of the "remix." Goodbye Folk is the epicentre of this philosophy. By taking the flares and platforms of the past and styling them alongside the avant-garde architecture of the present, the shop helps define the visual identity of a city that is currently the most talked-about metropolis in the Western Hemisphere.
Beyond the Bell-Bottoms: Rare Vinyl and Accessories
The commitment to the 1970s extends beyond the fabric. Scattered throughout the store are the accessories that complete the persona. Heavy brass belt buckles, oversized acetate sunglasses with amber lenses, and felt wide-brimmed hats sit alongside a small but potent selection of vinyl.
The music playing in the shop—perhaps the fuzzy garage rock of Los Dug Dug's or the soulful strains of Jeanette—isn't background noise; it is the blueprint for the clothes. Many of the items are sourced from the estates of Mexico City’s former elite, meaning the quality of the materials is exceptionally high. A shopper might find a silver ring crafted in Taxco during the mid-century boom or a hand-tooled belt that has aged to a perfect caramel patina. These objects are trophies of a raid through history, curated with a specific eye for "The Goodbye Folk" look: part rock star, part intellectual, entirely fearless.
If you go
Location: Goodbye Folk is located at Colima 198, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México.
Timing: The shop generally opens at 11:00 am and stays busy until 8:00 pm. Weekends are peak times for the barbershop; booking a week in advance for a cut or shave is highly recommended.
Buying Bespoke: If you intend to order custom leather boots, allow at least 15 to 20 business days for production. They ship internationally, but getting measured in-person by the staff ensures the structural integrity of the platform.
Nearby: After shopping, head two blocks over to Rosetta on Calle de Colima for a guava roll, or grab a Mezcal Negroni at Licorería Limantour to see the Goodbye Folk aesthetic in its natural nightlife habitat.