From White Trash to Aliens on 5th Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Aliens of Brooklyn is returning to the East Village. 

Owner-artist Joseph Angel Tijerina opens his new shop today (Friday!) at 304 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue, the longtime home of White Trash, the vintage furniture and home-furnishings shop that recently closed. 

"It's an honor to be a part of this space," Tijerina told us about the handoff from White Trash. "I love the architecture and energy of the space." 

Tijerina said he was offered the storefront about three months ago and is happy to be back in the neighborhood — and close to his previous East Village location. 

Aliens of Brooklyn opened its first storefront in the spring of 2022 at 305 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue, following nearly a decade of selling at pop-ups and flea markets. 

In our 2022 Q&A, Tijerina talked about the East Village's artistic history and the welcome he received from residents.

"In my eyes, the East Village is always a place where the artists migrate, and I find that sacred and want to honor the history already created here," he said at the time.

The Ninth Street shop closed in 2024, when Tijerina moved on to Chelsea Market. He later returned to Texas to help care for a family member. Tijerina continues to operate an Aliens of Brooklyn shop in Austin. 

Now, he's back in the East Village — this time on Fifth Street. 

The shop will be open seven days a week from noon to 11 p.m., with plans to stay open until 1 or 2 a.m. on weekends.