On July 15, 2024, Deanna Young opened MONA Consignment on the West Shore, her second location, and at 2,650 square feet, it's three times bigger than her location in Victoria on Fort Street. Despite its large size, Young didn't have a worry about it being too big.

"We ended up here in this lovely West Shore town ... and we've outgrown it already. We have no more hangers and we have no more room to put shoes." She now has 1,300 consignors that consign with the store.

Across the street is Baja Rosi's Consignment, taken over in 2016 by Diane Ellwood and her daughters, including Sheli Strange who told Goldstream Gazette that they have had 18,000 consignors.

Thrifting and consignment have grown in popularity, particularly with the younger generation. "It is definitely more trendy," Strange said.

The growing trend is "curated vintage" or "curated thrift", where shoppers and sellers opt for both sustainability and style, scouring the aisles to find pieces that fit trends or have a cool vintage appeal. 

Leading the way are consignment shops: businesses where people bring gently used clothes and shop owners decide what to sell, then give the item's owner a portion of the sales.

With consignment, customers are not only saving money but can also find designer or hard-to-find items. Young at MONA Consignment is "very picky" about what she accepts in her stores; items must be two years or newer with no smells, rips or stains. She also won't accept mall brands like Bluenotes, Forever 21, Juicy Couture or Old Navy, but that's because she wants her selection to be items customers won't find in a Greater Victoria mall; things like designer clothes or missing brands such as Anthropology, Zara and Faithful. 

"I want people to have a good experience and we really want it to be curated beautifully," she said.

The consignors earn 40 per cent of the final selling price, allowing them to make money from purchases that didn't work out, items that no longer have a purpose to the seller, or items removed to make room in their closets.

Consignment stores are a "brick and mortar marketplace" said Strange at Baja Rosi's Consignment. The business takes on selling multiple items for the consignor, and it's a lot of work when laid out.

"You get thousands of items every day," Strange said. "Sometimes we work 16 or 18 hours a day."

It's also keeping items out of the landfill. The University of Waterloo in a January 2023 study said that Canadians throw away close to 500 million kilograms of fabric items per year, including items such as clothing, shoes and toys.

Then there's the personal touch. Strange has countless stories of people bringing in clothes after the death of a family member or after a significant life event.

"Mom always has connected with people; we know people's stories," Strange said.  "Clothes are really personal."

Many of the benefits of consignment extend to thrift shopping as well, and stores like Salvation Army have the power to make a difference to one's local community, Clara Pina, national communications and engagement specialist, said. 

"Outside of administrative expenses, every dollar raised through our stores supports local Salvation Army programs and services such as food banks, shelters, rehabilitation for those struggling with addictions, modern slavery and human trafficking prevention, emergency relief efforts, and more."

Customers also do not have to pay taxes on most items because it is a charitable organization.

Hidden Gems

When it comes to repurposing and shopping second-hand, part of the excitement comes in finding hidden gems. 

"The one-of-a-kind. The unique. The weirder, the more sellable," Strange said when asked what items are most in demand. To show how whimsical things can get in her store, she pointed out a purse and matching wallet made of recycled seat belts. She also pulled out a pair of unique wedding shoes with a figurine of a woman in a wedding dress on the heel. 

"You never know what you're going to find," added Young at MONA. "There's just so many nuggets in here. Dior, Louis Vuitton, or pieces that you'd only see online or in stores that you couldn't really afford," Young said.

Now, how to get the most out of shopping second-hand? You can always ask when individual stores put out the most inventory. It's also smart to follow stylist guides such as knowing what styles look best on you, and buying things that go with what you already have in your wardrobe. 

But don't forget one of the best parts: remembering the search is as fun as the find.