Episode 228: Thrifty Business with Sara and Shan of Bargain Thrift Center

Over the past few years, we have explored many different facets of the secondhand economy: resellers and the ethics of reselling ( https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/is-secondhand-reselling-ethical-part-one/ ) secondhand items, the various secondhand platforms, the fine art of thrifting ( https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/episode-211-the-clotheshorse-guide-to-secondhand-shopping-part-1-irl-ftw-tysm/ ), and even where all of the unsold stuff from thrift stores ends up! ( https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/the-or-foundation-part-one/ ) In this episode we'll learn what it's like to run an independent thrift store, with Sara and Shan of Bargain Thrift Center, ( https://bargainthriftcenter.com/ ) a thrift store in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA. We will discuss * How the unrealistically low prices of ultra fast fashion impact the prices most people are willing to pay for secondhand items * Opportunities that the secondhand supply chain has to reach more people and match them with the product they are seeking * What happens to the collectibles and tchotchkes that are flooding thrift stores right now (I call it the “collection industrial complex”) * And Sara and Shan’s vision for the future of secondhand/thrifting Along the way, we’ll talk an awful lot about Precious Moments and we’ll wonder where all of the Ed Hardy stuff ended up at the end of the 00s. Also: Amanda shares why she is feeling optimistic right now. Follow Bargain Thrift Center on Instagram: @bargainthrift