Welcome to our series sharing Unique Holidays: August 17th, 2021. Take a look at the Holiday being celebrated today and let me know if you would like to celebrate it or not.
Are you looking for a great deal? If so then National Thriftshop Day is a day for a real bargain. With it being time for children to go back to school now is the perfect time to celebrate National Thriftshop Day.
Did you know a “Thrift Shop” is an old term for stores that sell discounted merchandise. It’s not always the highest quality, but the price is right. You know these stores better today as discount department stores or dollar stores.
Watch for sales and specials today at Thriftshops in celebration of National Thriftshop Day. If your a store owner, create a sale around this special day, and watch your August sales sizzle!
National Thrift Shop Day, celebrated on August 17, is all about supporting local Thrift Shops and raising awareness for Charitable Organizations. Thrift Shops aim to help those most vulnerable in communities and give back to the needy.
Known by a myriad of other names, Thrift Shops are also referred to as Consignment Stores, Second-hand Stores, Resale Shops, and Hospice Shops. Volunteers willing to help out usually work at the shops, often sorting through donated items people drop off. These used pieces are then sold to the public, providing those in need a convenient service at an affordable price!
HISTORY OF NATIONAL THRIFT SHOP DAY
Before Thrift Shopping became common, people usually liked to repurpose their clothes. During the Eighteenth Century, many new ways of using old items were created.
If someone’s clothing became worn, they’d give it to a younger sibling as a hand-me-down and made into clothes for them. Even after the siblings tired of this, the material would be recycled as furniture stuffing. People also often sold their items if they needed the money, but the Thrift Shop concept had not yet been created.
By the late Nineteenth Century, the United States experienced a massive cultural shift. The Industrial Revolution increased the production of clothes and goods, while the pursuit of the American dream led to heightened immigration.
Many moved to Urban areas, causing the process of buying new clothes and disposing of old ones to quicken. Pawnshops and Scrap Yards arose to provide for this need, but there was an unfavorable opinion surrounding clothes that were once owned by a stranger, as it indicated a lower social status.
Christian Ministries needed funding for their outreach programs, and religious affiliation groups such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill changed the narrative.
In 1897, the Salvation Army launched the “salvage brigade.” Residents would go around the neighborhood asking for used clothes. In return, they’d receive food and lodging.
Then, In Boston 1902, a Methodist Minister created Goodwill that hired poor and disabled people to collect goods and make necessary repairs to them. These shops provided immigrants with a place to find clothes, assimilating Christian values with Social Service Activities.
Thrift Shops reflected the Department Stores of the time in the 1920s. Initial impressions began to change after Thrift Shops stopped being known as “junk shops.” By 1935, there were nearly 100 Goodwill stores nationwide and they were useful during hard times the Nation faced.
The Great Depression and World War II made Thrift sShops more viable as a more affordable option to full-priced stores. People warmed up to the idea of Thrift Shops as a way to find Vintage products or Niche Goods, and ever since, the Thrift Shop has steadily shed its negative image.
The History and Origin of National Thriftshop Day:
Our research did not find the creator, or the origin of this Holiday. Without a doubt, a Thrift Shop started this special day. It most likely originated when a Thrift Store promoted a Summer sale.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
