In recent years, consumers have a shown greater interest in buying secondhand.
According to stats from Capital One, secondhand apparel sales increased 11% from 2022 to 2023. Researchers attribute this to various trends—environmental concerns about the impacts of fast fashion; a desire to support small, local businesses; and a generational pursuit of unique pieces with enduring quality.
On top of this, uncertainty about how tariffs will affect the prices of imported consumer goods has industry experts predicting an even stronger boost to the secondhand industry.
In Reno, several new thrift and vintage shops have opened within the past year. We talked to four shop owners—at stores both new and established—who were keen to chat about their experiences in the world of secondhand. They noted that Gen Z is especially motivated to patronize thrift shops, for all of the aforementioned reasons. They also described their customers as environmentally conscious and increasingly aware of the value of thoughtfully crafted, enduring fashion, furniture and household goods.
Betty’s
395 S. Wells Ave.
Deena Latimer opened Betty’s in June 2024. She takes donations and sources inventory from estate sales. She prides herself on selling practical but eclectic workwear, casualwear and partywear, and pricing items according to what she would pay for them.
Latimer passes along inventory that she doesn’t sell within a couple of months to charitable organizations such as Shop for Success and Our Place. Unlike some secondhand sellers, she stocks clothes for both women and men, and Betty’s has dressing rooms, which are sometimes hard to find at thrift stores.
Latimer said that for her customers, “individuality tops the list.” She carries clothing for a variety of body types, including plus sizes. Additional perks include lot parking; plenty of natural light; and appealing, ever-changing window displays.
Plus, being on the corner of Stewart Street and Wells Avenue is “great for people-watching,” Latimer said—and she allows dogs.
The Nest
201 Keystone Ave., Reno
“People don’t realize the true cost of fast fashion,” said Tessa Dee Miller. She’s been selling vintage clothing, furniture and home decor at The Nest, a well-known secondhand shop, for more than 15 years.
“Invest in higher-quality products that will be less expensive in the long run,” she advises.
A 2024 report from Vestiaire Collective—a platform for buying and selling luxury and designer fashion—concluded that consumers save money in the long term by avoiding cheaper, less durable “fast fashion” and buying “preloved” goods. They also avoid getting trapped in “a cycle of cheap prices, constant promotions, and rapidly changing trends—not to mention poor quality clothes that need replacing again and again.”
For Miller, that lesson came from experience, not a report. Early in her career, she had a well-made chair fall off the back of a truck and sustain only minimal cosmetic damage.
If Miller’s preference for high-quality goods isn’t enough of a reason to shop at The Nest, her own habit of spending locally might be.
“This is a community,” she said. “When you buy something here, I spend that money at (for example) the Great Basin Community Food Co-op.”
Dress 2 Kill
1006 S. Wells Ave.
www.instagram.com/dress2killstore
In a mass consumer culture, many revel in the thrill of the hunt for hidden gems. At Dress 2 Kill, owner Reyna Casey stocks clothes and accessories that appeal to millennials in particular—’90s and Y2K throwbacks like Lisa Frank stationery, studded belts and emo-inspired accessories.
Dress 2 Kill has been up and running since October 2024, but Casey has been selling secondhand goods for 16 years. She has always seen the thrift market as a vehicle for self-expression.
“I created this shop as a space for people to come and be themselves—a place for the community to gather, regardless of identity,” she said.
She noted that space for inclusivity is especially important in a political climate hostile to the LGBTQ+ community, among others.
Waggish & Co.
243 California Ave.
Tina Reynoso opened Waggish & Co. in September 2024, after a trip to Florence, Italy, where she became captivated by small, curated vintage shops.
She describes Waggish as good for people who “aren’t good at thrifting.” She hand-selects everything in the boutique for its durability, wanting to do her part to reduce the landfill burden. The shop is divided into three sections: women’s fashion; men’s fashion and home décor; and “Italy,” with handmade Italian wares.
Waggish is located below The Cheese Board, and a discount rack stands at the entrance on most days. Up until now, Reynoso has relied mainly on word of mouth to promote her business, but she expanded her visibility in May by hosting a flea market alongside Facilitate Joy!, an autism and ADHD coaching organization. She hopes to make flea markets timed around the neighboring Nevada Museum of Art’s second-Saturday events a regular occurrence to attract even more foot traffic.