New generation of bargain hunters crowding local thrift stores

BOSTON — There’s an old saying: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Brenda Strouble is often at the Goodwill store in Hyde Park looking for a hidden gem on the thrift store’s many racks.

In a few minutes, she found one sweater from the Banana Republic and another sweater from J.Jill. Now a whole new generation of shoppers is buying into this concept thanks to #Thrifting. Shoppers are showing up in big numbers at thrift stores and consignment shops in large due to TikTok. Many influencers proudly post their hauls on the site.

“There is a huge amount of people who are on social media, who are interested in secondhand clothing. Looking for unique household items, and TikTok has been a great avenue to bring those new customers to our stores,” said Emerald Gravel, the manager of Goodwill’s 15 stores in Massachusetts.

These new customers are finding full shelves. While traditional retailers struggle with supply chain problems, Gravel says Goodwill is seeing a tsunami of donations as people clean out their homes during the pandemic.

“Right now, in other stores, the prices are so high. Prices are increasing everywhere,” added Gravel. “We’re seeing a lot of customers come in because our prices have stayed consistent thru-out. We haven’t increased prices.”

The popularity of thrifting isn’t expected to be a flash in the pan. According to the 2021 Resale Report, the secondhand market will double in the next five years, growing faster than traditional retail.

The DVSTY Consignment shop in Jamaica Plain is filled with great bargains and unique novelty items.

Store owner Ian Drake says the idea of reusing items is slowing down fast fashion for many young people. “I think that people are becoming more away ethically aware of their choices and where they spend their money and what impact it will have on their world and their environment.”

And sites like TikTok have made shopping this way cool. “The stigma of buying things that are secondhand or used or pre-owned is just not what it used to be,” Drake added. “I think when people reach for their wallets, they’re looking for a more economical way of shopping.”

Back in Hyde Park, Strouble expects more people to get hooked on thrifting once they give it a try. “They don’t know what they’re missing. I hope it doesn’t get too crowded after this interview because it’s a fantastic place.”

Goodwill uses the proceeds from its stores to fund job training programs.

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