Thrifting is more popular than ever. Whether it’s vintage denim, curated second-hand finds, or one-of-a-kind pieces, more people are turning to resale shopping for budget-friendly and sustainable fashion.
However, as demand grows, small business owners in Ottawa are facing new challenges.
Pop-up markets in Ottawa such as 613flea, Midday Picnic, Next Door Ottawa and the Fly Market have exploded in popularity in the past few years. While these markets provide small businesses with exposure, they also create more competition in an already crowded space.
Students enjoying thrifting at Midday Picnic at Algonquin College. Photo: Zixuan Li
Mark Sola, owner of Thrift Sola, has been in the business for about eleven years. While he has seen more customers embrace second-hand shopping, he has also struggled to keep up.
“There’s more demand, but also more competition,” Sola said. “More and more people thrift right now. It is just harder and harder to find good stuff.”
Small business owners typically buy their inventory from not only wholesalers, but also estate sales, garage sales, or other thrift stores.
Sola said the added pressure of competing with the increasing number of individual shoppers also makes business challenging.
“I’m not just competing with other thrifters. I’m competing with just like the regular person that’s going out to thrift, who could possibly buy the same stuff I’m buying,” Sola said.
Student enjoys thrifting at Midday Picnic at Algonquin College. Photo: Zixuan Li.
In addition, big retailers like Value Village have raised prices, making it harder to find affordable items to resell. Online platforms like Depop, Poshmark, and Facebook Marketplace also have made thrifting more accessible and transparent, further saturating the market.
Rising costs and increased competition mean they must work harder than ever to stay in business.
“It’s not as easy as it used to be,” Sola said. “We have to be creative, strategic, and constantly evolving.”
For some business owners, the solution is to be consistent and make good relationships. Kimberly Cassell, who owns Downtown Underground and Goody Mart, has a different way of sourcing.
“I made friends with everybody; because you never know whose grandma has a cool basement,” she said. “You’re just always asking and always staying open. Make real relationships with people to get the goodies.”
Go early and go often is Cassell’s No.1 tip for sourcing. “There are so many people now, you have to go early in the day, and you have to go often. You have to be the first to when people over on Facebook Marketplace,” she said.
As the thrifting boom continues in Ottawa, small business owners will have to keep finding ways to stand out. Whether through curated selections, strong branding, or social media marketing, one thing is clear thrifting isn’t just a trend; it’s a movement.
Even with the struggles, many entrepreneurs say their love for thrifting keeps them going. “The best part is seeing people find pieces they love,” Sola said. “That makes it all worth it.”
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