More Minnesotans turning to thrift stores as prices keep climbing

By Derek James

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    LAKEVILLE, Minnesota (WCCO) — Inflation has already stretched wallets, and now faced with additional higher costs due to tariffs, many Minnesotans are adapting by heading to their local thrift stores.

Anne Marie Styles is visiting the Salvation Army’s newest Thrift Store in Lakeville which opened last month. She’s shopping for her two sons.

“We usually look for the half-off days and so this place is the perfect place,” Styles said. “The 7-year-old does get a lot of the 14-year-old’s hand-me-downs that we’ve saved, but we also still get to buy a bunch of fun, new stuff.”

Styles is also buying items to resell, demonstrating how Inflation has changed the way we shop.

Tom Canfield oversees the Salvation Army’s 12 area thrift stores.

“Shoppers are more savvy, and that’s one of the reasons why we do so well,” Canfield said.

The nonprofit hopes to open five more thrift stores over the next five years as more shoppers turn to thrifting.

Consumer prices are now 23.3% more expensive than they were in February 2020, according to a Bankrate analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. New trade tariffs are expected to add to that cost.

Prices in new clothing may see an increase of nearly 17%, according to the Yale Budget Lab. The only products on their list that are higher are leather goods at over 18%.

It’s leading shoppers to test out strategies to avoid tariffs.

“We are seeing increases in donations and in foot traffic for shopping as well,” Canfield said.

That’s also the case at Flying Pig Thrift in St. Paul, where price is paramount.

“Something we’ve really been focusing on is that we are able to keep stuff as reasonably priced as possible, even with everything happening, just to make sure that people aren’t getting priced out of necessities,” said assistant manager Jude Lindemann.

Both the Flying Pig and the Salvation Army Thrift stores are nonprofit adding value to customers and their communities.

“It is a little bit emotionally rewarding,” Lindermann said. “You know that you’re keeping something from going into the waste cycle and you’re able to, in our case, help support our different community partners.”

The Salvation Army uses 100% of its proceeds to support its Adult Rehabilitation Center in Minneapolis, a free residential treatment program for those recovering from addiction.

For those inspired to save money and do some good, Styles has a few suggestions.

“Do your research, figure out what days stores have sales,” she said. “Know what you’re going to look for and know that there is competition.”

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