Gain and Loss: The Search for Potential

By Lily K. Lewis

How many times have you burst into a thrift store, excited to discover the once-in-a-lifetime finds you’ve seen people brag about on social media, only to wander around for about thirty minutes and leave empty-handed? How often have you been discouraged from fruitless hunting and given up too quickly when no thousand-dollar lamp or designer purse easily presented itself? What I’ve learned about thrifting is that the most important thing is not necessarily where you are, but knowing how to search.

So many people have described thrifting as overwhelming because they don’t know where to start. In larger thrift stores, there can be so many options that you feel like you’ll never be the one to pull the needle from the haystack. But if you develop a plan for sifting through a thrift store, the search becomes a lot less stressful and a lot more fun. When shopping, I typically like to make a big circle around the store: pick a starting point, maybe what interests you most, and loop around from there. It’s important to avoid just glancing at each rack; you must flip through the clothes in order to see what each item is. The more effort you dedicate to searching, the more likely you are to find something worthwhile. 

There is a certain gain and loss that is always associated with thrifting: an item has experienced a death with a previous owner who no longer needed or desired it and has decided to pass it along. But an item can then experience new life with a new owner, someone who sees its potential. 

Several talented entrepreneurs and business owners in Jackson have brought to life amazing thrift stores, each one representing a different style and serving a niche audience. Lakyn Bowman, the owner of the Nine-Oh-Six, has created a vibrant space full of bold vintage furniture and home décor. The Nine-Oh-Six is also home to a few small businesses that are just starting like No Stress Thrift and Shop Hello Grace. The Mother Thrifter, owned by Bethany Lutz, provides a selection of business casual styles and specializes in jeans. Bethany will always encourage you to find clothes that fit your body as you are now and leave you feeling better when you walk out of the dressing room than when you entered it. The Lost Reserve, owned by Chase Walker, has a wide selection of vintage t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, and jeans for both men and women to shop. 

Each of these stores only exist because the owners felt the need to create a space where potential can become growth, where undesired items can find a home, where the old can become new. 

I recently joined the Nine-Oh-Six with my small thrift business called What’s More to Love. I’m so excited about this amazing opportunity because I get to share my love of thrifting with others and help them find clothes that are unique and expressive. This space is more than just a way to make money for me: it serves as a launching ground for sustainability and growth. My passion for thrifting developed when I started working at a local consignment store.  I had never cared much about what I wore before, but all of a sudden fashion became a huge part of my world. I began to take joy and pride in getting dressed every day. I learned to take risks with fashion and to be bold. I began to see fashion as a form of art and self-expression where it had just been a chore and a necessity before. I began to savor the creativity of planning an outfit and carefully adding little details. I began to wear what I wanted every day and that made me incredibly happy. I soon discovered that I also had a passion for helping other people discover their style; I started to help friends find pieces they loved and outfits they felt beautiful in. 

Instead of searching for whatever items are trending on social media, I looked for pieces with the potential to bring out the best parts of someone’s personality. I learned that sometimes we must be willing to lose comfort and fear and conformity in order to gain confidence and creativity and boldness. I learned that helping others find their style was just as important to me as finding my own. 

The next time you step into a thrift store, don’t become quickly discouraged and leave disappointed. There is so much more to thrifting than cheap prices and silly t-shirts. Thrifting is about knowing how to search, when to put in the effort, and what stains can be washed out. It’s about taking something someone no longer wants and repurposing it. It provides the perfect opportunity to practice sustainability and to put your creativity into action, because more than anything, thrifting is about recognizing potential and believing in something enough to give it a chance at another life.