With the cost of living continuing to increase and price inflation on the rise, thrifting or buying items second hand has become a popular option for many people. Fortunately, for Airdrie residents, three new thrift shops have recently opened in the city.
Once Upon a Child, a franchise-consignment store for children’s clothing — as well as shoes, toys, strollers and other equipment — opened its doors in October. Owners Nisarg Purohit and Yagnik Savaliya are parents of young children and say they saw a need for a children’s consignment store in Airdrie, especially with an increasing population of young families moving to the city.
“Airdrie has been very kind,” says Savaliya. “We both have kids, and we have been shopping from Once Upon a Child all the time because, in this economy, it’s hard for us to buy brand new.”
He says hundreds of Airdrie residents brought clothes and other children’s items within weeks of them beginning to accept drop offs. There is an intake process that involves a quality check and pricing the items based on their condition. Unlike consignment stores, the items are paid for when they are dropped off.
“People knew the concept. They’ve been going to Calgary for shopping all this time,” says Savaliya. “It’s a good business model.”
The store, located next to Safeway on Main Street, carries a variety of clothing brands in preemie to teenage sizes. The clothes are generally priced at 50-per cent less than what they would cost brand new.
“This will be a one-stop place for anybody who is looking to buy stuff for their kids,” says Savaliya. “It’s a sustainable option.”
For more information, visit onceuponachildairdrie.com. The local business can also be found on Facebook and Instagram.
Meanwhile, a women’s consignment store opened in Airdrie in June, offering mid- to high-end second-hand clothing.
Luxe Boutique Consignment is a dream come to life by two sisters who loved dressing up as kids.
Jessica and Meaghan Powers now get to help other women feel good in what they wear.
“Being in clothing that you feel confident in is such an empowering feeling,” says Jessica. “We’ve always loved dressing up our outfits.”
The boutique is located on 1st Avenue N.E. and provides a place for women to drop off clothing they no longer wear or never had the chance to. If the item sells, the boutique pays them a percentage.
Jessica says the support from the Airdrie community has been incredible.
“Everyone has been so kind. People have been posting about us on their own accord on their social medias about the business, about us,” she says. “It’s been overwhelmingly amazing.”
Those wanting to drop off clothing can bring in one bag per day and aren’t required to schedule an appointment. Everything that doesn’t sell is donated to the Community Thrift Store.
“It’s a sustainable choice because it’s recycling,” says Jessica. “It’s so much fun. I love when women come in and we help them find outfits or we go through their clothes.”
The sisters were running an online business prior to opening the boutique, but it was outgrowing the space they had. They saw a need for a higher-end consignment store in Airdrie and took the opportunity to open one.
Luxe Boutique Consignment can be found on Facebook and Instagram, as well as luxeboutiqueconsignment.ca.
Airdrie Community Links, meanwhile, opened a new store in August in South Point Village. Community Treasures is a thrift shop that was created to provide affordable options for those new to Airdrie, fleeing domestic violence or in a situation where they need to start over. However, all are welcome to shop at the store.
Store manager Tricia Plourde says everything is donated and the store is mainly run by volunteers. It’s a no-clothing thrift shop, instead offering household items such as décor, dishes and furniture for affordable rates. The money made from each sale goes back into programs run by Community Links.
“Most of our items are half of what you would normally pay anywhere else, or less,” says Plourde. “The support from the community has been huge. It’s been so successful and I can’t wait to see where it goes.”
Once a month, the store has a 50-per-cent off sale to cycle through stock, and there is a loyalty program for shoppers. A support worker will also be on location two days a week to provide a safe place for people who need assistance but don’t want to be seen going to the Community Links office.
“We felt that we were meeting a gap here in Airdrie,” says Brenda Hume, executive director of Community Links. “It gives everyone an opportunity for their homes in a way that’s reasonable and affordable. And it’s a way of connecting the community. It’s a very unique place — lots of treasures there.”
For more information, visit thrift.mycommunitylinks.ca or follow Community Treasures on Facebook and Instagram.
