Behind the Thrift
Two major thrift stores on Main St. in Vancouver open their doors, sharing the ins and outs of what it's like to work at them.
Vancouver is known to have a diverse set of thrift, consignment and vintage stores all over the city and Lower Mainland; although the highest density of them reside on Main St. While "thrifting" has been used as a synonymous term for buying products from all types of second-hand clothing stores, there are distinct differences between them.
Turnabout on Main is a vintage luxury resale store that provides shoppers with discounted name brands such as Lululemon, Aritzia, Oak + Fort and Telfar. Their collection is curated by five buyers who buy clothes off sellers for consignment.
Three mini Telfar bags on display with other accessories.
Three mini Telfar bags on display with other accessories.
Still Fabulous on Main is a donation based Auxiliary store part of the BC Children’s and Women’s Hospitals. All the workers are volunteers with proceeds from purchases going to support equipment, programs and patient support systems at both hospitals.
Dressed up for the winter season, a mannequin showcases some of the worker's favourite items.
Dressed up for the winter season, a mannequin showcases some of the worker's favourite items.
Turnabout on Main
Kirstyn Hardy
Kirstyn Hardy describes finding herself through her sense of style.
Kirstyn Hardy describes finding herself through her sense of style.
Sparkle, loud and pink are the three words that Kirstyn Hardy would use to describe her style. She's been the senior manager at Turnabout on Main for the past 3 years. Not having previously been into fashion or thrifting before working here, her job has sparked a passion to express herself through her clothing and help customers do the same.
Since customers can both sell and buy at Turnabout, much of the community in the store surrounds the relationship between clientele and workers. "I learned about jewellery and brands and other stuff that I had no idea about from customers, " says Hardy.
Street style wear from Japenese unknown brands to more popular sought out designers such as Chanel, are just some of Turnabout's specialty at this location. Hardy says that this provides really unique and more stand out pieces that customers enjoy finding for special occasions or to spruce up their closet.
The process of consignment
One of Turnabout's buyers goes through how she determines whether the clothes donated can be sold at this location.
One of Turnabout's buyers goes through how she determines whether the clothes donated can be sold at this location.
Buyers at Turnabout look for three main things when selecting items to be sold at their location: condition, brand and style. Buyers make sure that seams are intact and there isn't any noticeable wear in high impact areas such as the knees, shoulders and elbows. With trends falling in and out of style, selecting items that are either classic or extremely trendy, are ones that get prioritized. But the process can be tedious. Sometimes, it can take days for a seller's items to be bought to determine the authenticity, value and demand of an item.
I remember this one customer who came in a couple months ago to buy a Chanel bag," says Hardy. "She was so excited, in her mid-30s going to a gala that evening, saying she was going to tell everyone about the great deal she got on her Chanel bag."
Still Fabulous on Main
Laura Mogensen
Laura Mogensen goes through her daily routine working at Still Fabulous.
Laura Mogensen goes through her daily routine working at Still Fabulous.
Laura Mogensen has been working at thrift stores for over 17.5 years. Her mother is a former teacher that works in the eating disorder wing at one of the hospitals. In 2020, she suffered a traumatic brain injury caused by a car accident. Also having a brain injury since birth, Mogensen suffers from short term memory loss; but that doesn't stop her. She enjoys her busy schedule when she comes into the shop and describes her experience working with everyone as inclusive.
While she wouldn't say she's heavily into fashion, majority of Mogensen's wardrobe comes from this store. She enjoys listening to people talk about the clothes that they donate as she finds that it allows her to get to know the people themselves. When asked about the sense of community that surrounds Still Fabulous, she corrects me to say, "It's a family."
Judy Hanvey, one of the store managers at Still Fabulous, says that one of the ways in which the store stays competitive in the second-hand clothing market, is their connection with local hospitals. This provides customers with an incentive, knowing the funds from purchases are being collected for a helpful cause. Another reason is for the reduced environmental impact shoppers can have buying second-hand versus retail. Compared to vintage resale stores where shoppers seek specific deals on latest brands and items, Hanvey prioritizes accessibility and quality; with the odd high-end brand item that can be found on display.
Built with Shorthand