This past month, ThriftCon was in Atlanta for their 2022 convention. It was held at the Atlanta Exposition Center. ThriftCon began in Denver, Colorado in 2019 and is a traveling, convention dedicated to thrifting, trading, and selling secondhand items. The convention travels across the United States, setting up in a new space every stop and bringing in new items, and vendors every time.
The line outside the exposition center was wrapped around the parking lot, which was full of cars and people had to walk down the block to even reach the building from where they parked.
It is such a popular event that people from nearby states travel to the city it’s taking place in to shop and share in the experience. There is a range of items sold, some only from a few months ago others from 50 years ago, all in varying conditions. Though it is a thrifting convention, the prices of higher than seen in thrift stores.
The convention takes place in a large indoor space, and clothes are everywhere. On clothing racks, tables, and the floor. Though the event is for thrifting, vendors selling their own items and finds can be seen near their booths trying to gain the attention of their next potential customer.
The market of secondhand fashion is a constantly growing and moving space. The ranges in price, style, and age have since attracted the new eyes of Gen Z. As clothes become more expensive and trends more predictable, young people have found ways to make what’s old new. In cities with large student populations have seen a great uptick in thrift shopping. Atlanta being one of those cities, students find themselves gravitating to popular thrift stores and events in the city.
