'There is a thrill': Saskatoon second-hand store sees increase in sales

Village Green Thrift Store is seeing more people come in searching for vintage times and other hidden treasures.

In the past year, the store's sales have risen about 15 per cent.

“A lot of people are really concentrating on doing second-hand shopping for a brand new deal. They still get good quality,” said manager Carol Scott.

“I find a lot of the younger people are coming thrifting.”

One of those thrifters is Josie Ward, a University of Saskatchewan student from California. She has furnished her entire home with second-hand items. When she goes on vacation, she checks out the local second-hand stores to see what's different.

“As someone who just moved here from the U.S., I need a lot more winter gear here than I do in the U.S. So this has been a great way to save a lot of money,” said Ward.

“There is a thrill. I found this Patagonia fleece and it's actually only priced at $1, which is an amazing deal.”

A 2021 fashion industry report done by the group ThreadUP forecasts the second-hand market will double in the next five years, reaching $77 billion.

The report says thrifting became a new pandemic habit and is expected to stick, which Scott also anticipates.

"I would expect a lot more people will be maybe doing second-hand shopping in the coming three, six months to a year," she said.