Breaking the stigma: Provo businesses unite to celebrate thrift shops this weekend
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- An undated photo shows people browsing clothing racks at Curveture Plus-Size Thrift in Provo.
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- A rack filled with various apparel items inside Curveture Plus-Size Thrift in Provo is shown Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025.
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- A shelf with pants for resale are shown inside Sloppy Seconds Thrift Shop in Provo in an undated photo.
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- A rack filled with hats, shoes and clothing inside Curveture Plus-Size Thrift in Provo is shown Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025.
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- Lexie Ferranti, owner of Provo’s Sloppy Seconds thrift shop, is pictured during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the store Thursday, July 3, 2025.
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- A rack filled with different apparel such as shoes and clothing inside Curveture Plus-Size Thrift in Provo is shown Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025.
A handful of Provo’s independently owned businesses are joining forces to celebrate and recognize National Thrift Shop Day this weekend.
The occasion, which happens annually each year on Aug. 17, highlights the enjoyment of secondhand shopping and the delight of discovering pre-owned clothing, vintage items and other rare finds for less than half of their original price.
Lillian Sanders, co-owner of Curveture Plus-Size Thrift, says the gesture is in the spirit of sustainability and building community among different small businesses.
“We’ve got good relationships with a lot of other resellers in Provo, and we want everyone to do well,” she said, “We hope that shoppers in Provo will think secondhand first to help not only the planet but our local business community as well.”
In Provo, shoppers on the hunt for a bargain can choose from a plethora of thrift stores, some with specific niches.
Lexie Ferranti, owner of Provo’s newest thrift shop, Sloppy Seconds, said they’ve been open for a little more than a month but are already seeing why the resale industry is seemingly thriving in the community.
“Provo has such a strong thrift culture and it’s wonderful to be a part of it,” she said.
The resale and vintage retail sector has had a nationwide spike in popularity in recent years.
One report notes that younger shoppers — Gen Z, in particular — are choosing thrift shops as a way to express themselves fashionably at a fraction of the cost, while also promoting sustainability.
Secondhand apparel sales in the U.S. grew by 14% in 2024, the biggest jump since 2021, according to a recent resale report. The industry is anticipated to bring in more than $70 billion by 2029, the report noted.
Taudine Andrew, CEO and co-founder of Curveture Plus-Size Thrift, believes some of the recent popularity of resale shops in Utah stems from larger families who are trying to make their dollar stretch as far as possible.
“Kids go through clothes so fast and, you know, that kind of translates out into other things for your household and for adults,” she said. “Plus, we’re definitely a university community around here. We’ve got lots of colleges and schools, lots of students. They’re focused on their studies, (so) they don’t have as high an income and so they’re looking for a good deal.”
Sanders added that she feels there may be a shift happening in consumer trends.
“I think we’ve moved past wanting to have so much of what’s new and instead shifting for quality over quantity,” she said. “And a lot of times, you’re going to find that in vintage stuff that’s been around for a long time.”
Sanders feels shoppers may also be in search of more unique clothing items that set them apart from typical fashion standards.
“When you go out to the store, you can see lots of people are just shopping for the same type of thing. And so I think the uniqueness of it, as well, being able to find something that nobody else has is also part of the appeal,” she told the Daily Herald.
Ferranti shared a similar notion.
“I’d say this generation is also realizing how much fast fashion and waste is killing our planet and is really trying to do their part that their predecessors might not have and set a new standard,” she said.
As thrifting trends change, Andrew believes the negative perception around secondhand shopping will continue to diminish.
Reporting by The Associated Press from February suggests that 72% of Americans felt the stigma around shopping secondhand has eased.
“When I was college age, there was still a kind of a stigma associated with thrift shopping,” she recalled. “People who couldn’t afford the good stuff or whatever — those were the folks who were shopping at thrift stores. And so it was a thing that you didn’t advertise.”
While National Thrift Shop Day will be observed nationally on Sunday, many of Provo’s indie thrift stores are closed that day, so they will honor the occasion on Saturday.
Many will offer special discounts and events in celebration.
Curveture has planned an in-store scavenger hunt for free items all day on Saturday. The store is located at 1394 N. Freedom Blvd.
Sloppy Seconds Thrift Shop, located at 50 N. University Ave., will offer a 10% discount on all items and host a popup with Masa & Sabor Arepas on Saturday.
Pando Refitters will hold a bike scavenger hunt during the Saturday event. It is located at 249 N. University Ave.
Thrift Rx will offer a 15% discount on all items in celebration of National Thrift Shop Day on Saturday. It is located at 56 W. Center St.
Thrifthood will hold its six-year anniversary celebrations this weekend. It is located at 160 S. 100 West, Suite 103.
Other businesses such as Get Thrifty, Sad Boi Thrift, Making Space Thrift and Treasure Plus will also offer various deals and activities.
