A Local’s Take: Thrifting Culture In Western Colorado
My favorite thrifting find of all time is a classic, bright blue rain jacket that looks straight out of the Paddington movie. Admittedly, when I made this trip to Grand Junction’s Heirlooms for Hospice, my intent was to buy back-to-school pants. However, I simply couldn’t resist the chance to get my hands on such a signature piece — and for only $9! While I may not have left the store with the pants I was looking for, this experience is a case study in everything there is to love about thrifting and the culture that has developed around the activity. Here’s a list of everything I love, and the people I interviewed love, about thrifting.
The Thrifty Shop. Photo by Greg Osteen.
First, thrifting is built on a culture of saving, from money to the environment to culture. For example, I bought my blue rain jacket for $9. After a quick web search, I found that it originally cost $40. For a broke college kid like me, that extra $31 is a big deal! The fact that second-hand shopping — including consignment stores, as well as thrift stores — is inherently cheaper than first-hand, creates a culture of inclusivity. By making quality clothes, recreational gear and household items more affordable, activities at the core of the Western Colorado identity become more accessible to everyone in the community.
Thrifting’s culture of saving also applies to environmental conservation. In the world of fast fashion, the endless cycle of producing new clothes just for those same garments to end up in a landfill in a year’s time is simply unsustainable. According to Business Insider, fashion production accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions, while 85% of textiles end up in landfills each year (that’s an average of 82 pounds of textile waste per American). Thrifting poses a solution to this problem by reselling clothes someone doesn’t want, hence reducing how many new clothes are produced and inevitably end up in landfills.
Tammy Campbell and Garrett Cobb man the recently remodeled check-out counter at Goodwill. Photo by Kitty Nicholason.
Greg Osteen, the executive director of Vail Valley Cares and The Thrifty Shops, explains that their thrift store is able to recycle about 70% of the clothes that come through their doors. Essentially, not only was my rain jacket cheap, but by purchasing it secondhand I am taking a step towards saving the environment, which is a score in my book.
Thrifting culture also plays a role in saving community identity and culture. If I had gone back-to-school shopping at a retail store, I would be wearing the same pants as students around the country. By shopping at a thrift or consignment store, there is a broadened selection of unique items that reflect my community. For example, if I’m looking to celebrate this year’s Stanley Cup winners (finally!!), a local thrift store is the perfect place to find an Avalanche jersey. If I needed new shoes for the fall trail running season, The Gear Junction would have a much more fitting selection than a general retail store, hence supporting the outdoor recreation culture Western Colorado has cultivated.
The Encore Shoppe on First Street describes itself as “classy consignment.” Photo by Kitty Nicholason.
“I love to thrift because there’s always a story behind each item I buy, and I can continue that story myself,” Grand Junction resident Rowen Kimble says. Second-hand shopping in Western Colorado ensures that Colorado stories continue to live on through the clothing we wear and items we buy. Ultimately, thrifting culture is saving culture. By choosing to spend your money at secondhand stores, you’re saving money, supporting sustainability and enriching the local culture.
Second, I love thrifting, because it’s the perfect way to explore my home state. Whenever my friends and I have a day off and a few extra bucks, we drive from Grand Junction to Telluride with the intent of shopping at various thrift and consignment stores along the way. Our day usually looks something like this: wake up, drive to Montrose and shop at Classy Closet, drive to Ridgeway and shop at Second Chance Thrift Store, eat a packed lunch, drive to Telluride and shop at Second Chance Thrift Store’s second location, take a quick gondola ride from the base in Mountain Village, drive back to Ridgeway for dinner at GNAR Tacos and then end the day in Delta with a drive-in movie. Safe to say it makes for a full day.
The author models her thrift shop find. Photo by Kitty Nicholason.
“We get shoppers from all over the state — even all over the country,” Osteen explains when asked about non-local customers. Short travels for the purpose of thrifting open the door for trying out new restaurants, exploring trails and generally becoming familiar with other parts of our beautiful state.
Third, the thing I love most about thrifting culture isn’t that it’s cheaper or that I find super cute rain jackets or even that I get to eat GNAR Tacos. Rather, it’s that so many secondhand stores prioritize giving back to the community. Nearly every shop I contacted donates the money they make to address an area of need. For example, Heirlooms for Hospice (where I bought my super cute rain jacket) donates all proceeds to HopeWest, a nonprofit that provides hospice care across the West. Second Chance Thrift Store, with two locations in Ridgeway and Telluride, is run by the Second Chance Humane Society and provides shelter services to lost and abandoned pets, while developing various community programs. According to Osteen, Vail Valley Cares will donate $425,000 in grants to non-profits and $25,000 in scholarships this year alone. In total, they have given away $5.4 million in grants. In this sense, thrifting culture is about giving back to the community.
Yes, thrifting is great if you’re looking for a Paddington-style raincoat. However, as listed above, there are so many more reasons to choose second-hand shopping. Trying to save money? Go thrifting. Worried about your environmental impact? Go thrifting. Want to strengthen community identity, while exploring our beautiful state and giving back? Go thrifting. Don’t give it a second thought, give secondhand shopping a chance.
IF YOU GO THRIFT SHOPPING
Here’s a list of the thrift stores and consignment shops mentioned in this story and that we recommend.
Classy Closet, Montrose
Heirlooms for Hospice, Grand Junction
The Thrifty Shop, Vail
Second Chance Thrift Store, Ridgway
Second Chance Thrift Store, Telluride
Goodwill, Grand Junction
Encore Shoppe & Gallery, Grand Junction
Originally published in the Fall 2022 issue of Spoke+Blossom.