Jenna St. Marie got into thrifting at a very young age. Inspired by her mom and their many Goodwill runs, she curated her wardrobe with lots of “new to her” pieces of clothing, shoes, accessories and other treasures.
Today, Jenna, an events and marketing specialist at Sunrise Banks, shares second-hand styles and promotes the benefits of thrifting through her booth at Hello Again Off Site Link, a resale boutique in Eagan. We talked to her about how she launched her side business and why keeping clothing out of landfills is so important to her.
Q: How did you get into thrifting? What do you enjoy most about thrifting?
A: My mom, Sheri Pond (the Vice President – Director of Loan Operations at Sunrise Banks) and I have been on WAY too many Goodwill runs (or G-Dubb, as we like to call it). From a very young age, my mom helped to instill in me that thrifting is not only economically and sustainably beneficial, but it is fun and not something to be ashamed of.
I remember thrifting in middle school and high school and not necessarily feeling great about telling others, “I got it from Goodwill!” Now, I love seeing this new generation of kids embracing thrifting and having fun with it!
Q: Tell us more about the resale boutique space you have in Eagan. How does it work and how did you learn about it?
A: I read about a new thrifting store coming to Eagan called Hello Again. When I looked into it more, I became very interested in their business model. Rather than sourcing items on their own, they allow people in the community to rent a space and essentially have an indoor garage sale year-round.
When you walk in, there are clothing racks with numbers on them. Each rack is rented out to a member of our community with their treasures to share. Once you schedule your term and pay your rental fee, you get a tagging kit from the owner so you can price everything at home. You add each of your items into their system through their app, then go into the store, and a staff member prints out tags for you.
Saturday mornings are set-up time! You bring your tagged items in and set up your booth. Once it is set up, you’re good to go! From there, the staff members handle all sales, return unwanted items to your booth, and take care of general upkeep.
Q: What types of items do you feature at your booth? Are all of the items listed yours or do you have family/friends contribute to your merchandise listings?
A: I focus mostly on women’s clothing but have been known to sneak in a few odd balls here and there. For example, my husband and father-in-law have shared some of their castoffs with me to resell.
I find this space a great opportunity for people to declutter or downsize. It then gives beloved items a second life in a new home.
Q: What are some of your biggest thrifting finds? How are you using them now?
A: Man, this is a tough one because I thrift EVERYTHING – clothes, handbags, accessories, home décor, linens, furniture…the works! I think my favorite find is two French provincial- style end tables that I have in my living room.
Q: Do you feel the return on investment is worth it when it comes to the space rental fee vs. what you're making back on selling items?
A: It’s a give and take situation. The booths are a very competitive rate compared to renting your own space or paying fees to be in fairs. But, with any retail business, there are busy times and there are slower times.
Q: From a sustainability perspective, why do you think its good/important to get involved in thrifting?
A: Waste is real. Overflowing landfills are REAL. We should give anything that is still usable another life, rather than discarding it in the trash bin.
Q: Is there anything else you want to share?
A: If you ever need good places for clothes, I am your girl! I can verify that 75% of my wardrobe is thrifted or secondhand – and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Sunrise Banks is committed to business practices that promote a healthier, greener and more sustainable future. Learn about our commitments at sunrisebanks.com/impact/promise-to-our-planet/.
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