National Thrift Shop Day – August 17, 2024

History of National Thrift Shop Day

Before thrift shopping became common, people usually liked to repurpose their clothes. During the eighteenth century, many new ways of using old items were created. If someone’s clothing became worn, they’d give it to a younger sibling as a hand-me-down and made into clothes for them. Even after the siblings tired of this, the material would be recycled as furniture stuffing. People also often sold their items if they needed the money, but the thrift shop concept had not yet been created.

By the late nineteenth century, the United States experienced a massive cultural shift. The Industrial Revolution increased the production of clothes and goods, while the pursuit of the American dream led to heightened immigration. Many moved to urban areas, causing the process of buying new clothes and disposing of old ones to quicken. Pawnshops and scrap yards arose to provide for this need, but there was an unfavorable opinion surrounding clothes that were once owned by a stranger, as it indicated a lower social status. 

Christian ministries needed funding for their outreach programs, and religious affiliation groups such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill changed the narrative. In 1897, the Salvation Army launched the “salvage brigade.” Residents would go around the neighborhood asking for used clothes. In return, they’d receive food and lodging. Then, In Boston 1902, a Methodist minister created Goodwill that hired poor and disabled people to collect goods and make necessary repairs to them. These shops provided immigrants with a place to find clothes, assimilating Christian values with social service activities.

Thrift shops reflected the department stores of the time in the 1920s. Initial impressions began to change after thrift shops stopped being known as “junk shops.” By 1935, there were nearly 100 Goodwill stores nationwide and they were useful during hard times the nation faced. The Great Depression and World War II made thrift shops more viable as a more affordable option to full-priced stores. People warmed up to the idea of thrift shops as a way to find vintage items and niche goods, and ever since, the thrift shop has steadily shed its negative image.