National Thrift Shop Day Date in the current year: August 17, 2024

Thrift shops are a type of social enterprise run by charitable organizations. They are also known as thrift stores in the United States and Canada, charity shops in the United Kingdom, and opportunity shops in Australia and New Zealand.

Charity shops originated in the United Kingdom in the late 19th century. One of the first charity shops was opened by the Wolverhampton Society for the Blind in 1899. It raised money for the Society by selling goods made by blind people. However, charity shops became truly widespread only during World War II, when the Red Cross began to open charitable gift shops across the United Kingdom.

Since them, various charity retailers have emerged around the globe. Charities that run a significant number of thrift shops in the United States include Goodwill with more than 3,200 retail stores, The Salvation Army, the society of St Vincent de Paul, and Habitat for Humanity with its ReStore shops. Regional thrift store operators include Bethesda Lutheran Communities in the Upper Midwest and Desert Industries in the Western US.

A typical thrift shop sells used goods donated by members of the public and donates the net profit (income minus business costs) in accord with the charitable purpose of the organization that runs the shop. A lot of people associate thrift shops primarily with second-hand clothes and shoes, but they often sell other used goods such as books, toys, music albums, DVDs, and even furniture. Some thrift shops also sell new goods that typically have a connection to the cause supported by the charity. Examples include goods produced by local businesses and fair trade goods.

Shopping at thrift shops became popular in the early 2010s. People may choose to shop at thrift store for a number of reasons in addition to supporting charitable causes through thrifting. Some people prefer buying second-hand goods to reduce their carbon footprint and/or as an alternative to supporting unethical clothing brands. Thrift shops are also popular among people who are looking for vintage clothes, shoes and accessories, as well as various rare items and collectibles.

It is unclear who came up with the idea of celebrating National Thrift Shop Day, also known as National Thrift Store Day, but it’s great that someone did. This holiday offers a great opportunity to celebrate thrifts stores and everything they represent, as well as encourages people to volunteer or donate to charity.

How can you participate in National Thrift Shop Day? The obvious options are donating some of your old clothes to charity, going treasure hunting to your local thrift shop, volunteering at one, and spreading the word on social media with the hashtags #NationalThriftShopDay and #ThriftShopDay. A lot of thrift shops offer special deals on the occasion of National Thrift Shop Day, so don’t miss your chance to make the most of them!