MAKING NEW OUT OF USED Thrift store shopping was a trend that seemed to be taking over the campus. For some, it was about the thrill of a bargain. For others, it was about the excitement of the hunt. For all, it was a unique experience that provided entertainment and inexpensive finds. Searcy boasted an impressive number of thrift stores. Local churches founded some of the stores, including The Sharing Shoppe supported by Downtown Church of Christ and New Hope founded by College Church of Christ. Other stores were run solely for humanitarian causes, including Barkin' Barn, which supported the Searcy Humane Society. Hope Restored raised money for Hope Cottage, a shelter for women and children in White County who were the victims of domestic abuse. Though students enjoyed stopping by local thrift stores, their motives were all different. Sophomore Mauri Logan, who began shopping at thrift stores in middle school, said she enjoyed visiting Goodwill to see what kinds of inexpensive clothing they had in stock. "I always skim the clothes and see if there is anything that has potential to be cute, because their clothes are cheap," Logan said. "You would be surprised at some of the stuff you find." Sophomore Lauren Heffington found more at thrift stores than just clothing. She said that one of her favorite purchases included a crocheted wall piece. She also purchased a bike priced at $15, a steep discount from the typical $100 brand-new bike. "Goodwill will always be my main store," Heffington said. Heffington also agreed with Logan when she said that clothing was a prominent reason students shopped at thrift stores. Outside of the crazy social club function attire, students started to realize they could find attractive clothing at discounted prices. Since clothing trends such as plaid flannel shirts and oversized T-shirts permeated campus, students chose to shop at thrift stores to save money. For senior Breana Josephson, thrift shopping was a way to avoid those trends. She said that normal commercial stores could be limiting at times because they only carried mainstream styles. "The top benefit to thrifting is the unique purchase opportunity," Josephson said. "While it would not be hard to find items in a thrift store that are currently being sold elsewhere, I try to steer away from these things and find the 'much loved' garments and household items with years of stories. If I'm going to attempt to not look like everyone else, thrifting is going to be my best bet." While thrift store shopping sometimes required a little extra effort, the work always paid off. Students supported local business, saved money and found clothes to fit their individual styles. Mackenzie Lee
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==