BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – With the dollar losing value and prices climbing, people are searching for alternatives to help their wallets stretch further. That’s evidenced by the increase in shoppers local thrift stores like Seeds of Hope say they’ve been experiencing.
Between the racks of clothes at Seeds of Hope, you might just spot a regular like Bob Tekippe.
“I just like looking for odds and ends and collectibles,” said Tekipe.
Tekippe said he comes in twice a week, each time with a different agenda, but the same goal: to save.
“[You] can find a lot of items for a lot less money, and a lot of items are new or like new,” said Tekippe.
Manager Lisa Ternes has been in the thrifting business for 12 years, so she knows how to spot a trend.
“Within the last year, year-and-a-half, I think we definitely had more traffic, and our sales have definitely shown that as well,” said Ternes.
Ternes said revenue is up about 10-15 percent over the last two years. She said the lowest number of transactions they have a week is about 150, and that’s only the people who check out.
By 10 a.m. Friday, employees already had to open two registers to take care of the growing queue. And it’s not just for wants like toys, accessories and decor anymore.
“Now, I think there’s definitely a push for finding things that you need— household things, kitchen things, books, things like that,” said Ternes.
While inflation continues to outpace wage growth, customers like Bob say thrifting is an economic alternative to the Big Box.
For those who can’t afford the shop’s prices, employees say they understand. That’s why Seeds of Hope has a program called “Career Closet,” which provides clothes free of charge for those who need them.
“Any person in the community going back to work or going to school or any kind of career change, we can provide up to three to five outfits for them, as well as shoes, accessories for them to have an interview or if they have gotten the job already,” said Ternes.
Ternes said the program is especially helpful for those who’ve been out of work for a while. It also serves to help victims who work with the Abused Adult Resource Center, which is funded in part by Seeds of Hope. Anyone can qualify, but you need to contact the store’s main office first.
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