This article originally appeared in the Money print issue, in stands March 2025. It has not been updated and some information may be out of date.
We’ve all heard the song “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. This could prove itself to be an anthem for Utah, as thrifting has become a unique part of the culture in the Salt Lake Valley. Whether you shop at Savers, Goodwill and the DI or locally at Pib’s Exchange, Vantage and IconoCLAD, Salt Lake City has got the market for you. Each shop has something for everyone from clothing to furniture to collectibles for all your hoarding needs.
Thrifting is also a way for you to give back to the environment. The Uniform Market’s 2025 statistics estimate 100 billion clothes are produced annually worldwide. That’s enough for every person to have about 13 items of clothing in their wardrobe. Yet, production continues burning through the world’s carbon budget faster than consumers can keep up. That’s what makes thrifting beneficial. It’s repurposing clothing you don’t wear anymore, rather than sending it to a dump. It’s also affordable, which is perfect for students who have small budgets due to tuition and housing costs.
A few thrift stores making an impact in Utah include The Other Side Thrift Boutique and Pib’s Exchange.
The Other Side Thrift Boutique
Ashley Serkin has worked at The Other Side Thrift Boutique for about eight years. She explained that all the money made through the store goes straight to The Other Side Academy which helps people combat substance abuse, homelessness and incarceration. Everyone working there is housed at the Academy and receives the benefits made by customers who shop there. The slogan of the store is “You save money. We save lives.”
“The money that we’re making here is feeding them, housing them, clothing them,” Serkin said.
She added that people call them the Nordstrom of thrift stores, except they have cheaper options and a family-oriented business model.
“You can get nice clothes that you’re not gonna go pay a million dollars for when you’re not making a million dollars at the time,” she said.
While many thrift stores have a similar market with affordable options, there is one thing that sets them apart from others. The Other Side Thrift Boutique has free donation pickups for furniture items and they even deliver right to your house. Serkin added that because of this, they have many students who shop there frequently because they can decorate their dorms with vintage furniture and find their fashion sense from an array of choices.
“If I can get a pair of Lulu Lemon leggings for $9 versus $100, I’m gonna go for that,” Serkin said.
Pib’s Exchange
Chase Miles has worked at Pib’s Exchange for half his life. He explained that the store began as a Levi’s reselling establishment, but has now turned into a funky, outrageous thrift store. They sell a range of styles from punk to Y2K and even vintage cottage-core. Customers can even profit from donations they bring in-store. This looks like a 55% in-store credit or 30% cash back. If you’re looking for a new home for your clothes from spring cleaning, Pib’s might be the place for you.
Miles added when he started working in the thrift market, second-hand shopping wasn’t seen as “desirable.”
“I started thrifting out of necessity because we didn’t have a lot of money,” he said. “So I would either get booboo clothes from Old Navy or like cool clothes from Savers, but that was still kind of looked down upon, which, like now I think it’s desirable.”
Their market looks like teens and young adults “looking for interesting, one of a kind things.” Miles explained that thrifting has allowed for uniqueness in the fashion industry. However, he said that not everyone has the luxury of being able to shop in a vintage store like Pib’s.
“There’s people in towns that don’t have this kind of access, so we’re very fortunate to be able to have that,” Miles said. He emphasized supporting local businesses like Pib’s, so they can carry out this initiative and accessibility.
Other local thrift businesses include Blue Velvet Bunny, Vantage, iconoCLAD and Lillies of the Field.
