Thrift shop enthusiasts may find themselves paying expensive prices for their oversized hoodies or paint-splattered pants. At Thrift King Thrift Store, located on East 13th Avenue and Mill Street, customers will find the unexpected for quite a low price. When browsing through the store, visitors will find a mismatched arrangement of clothes, home decor and books. Varied landscape paintings fill the walls, and rare trading cards are locked in a clear case for display.
Kian Syed, the owner of Thrift King Thrift Store, said the clutter is part of the experience for the guests. He randomizes the item locations to engage guests who were not thinking of buying anything.
“A lot of the time there will be a person dragging in their partner, who does not want to be there, until they find something they like,” Syed said. “I love to mix the knick-knacks one partner wants next to this really cool tool. The partner would be like, ‘Wow this is my new favorite place.’ The theme of the store is definitely diversity.”
College students at the University of Oregon and across the country know thrift shopping is a trend that is here to stay. According to management consulting company McKinsey & Company’s 2021 report on the fashion industry, Gen Z consumers gravitate toward second-hand businesses because of their low environmental impacts, social justice concerns and exclusive products. UO freshman and psychology student Emily Maez reuses discarded clothes for a new purpose and never goes into a thrift store with an idea of what she wants. She came to Thrift King because she saw on Google Maps that it was close to campus.
“I thrift a lot and don’t really shop for anything particular,” Maez said. “I think it is fun to look at clothing and try to come up with ways to pair them together with different outfits or to upcycle them.”
Syed believes people don’t just come in the store looking for a specific item but “something unique to put their time into.” He wants customers to be surprised when walking through the store and discover items that may be useful later on.
Syed is originally from Portland. He moved to Eugene to pay a lower rent for both a home and retail location; everything from the store is from his inventory. He began his collection four years ago through bidding wars at storage units and then obtaining a client base of real estate agents over time. The agents called him whenever a home needed to be cleared out before an estate sale or junk removal.
“When someone passed away, the family would set up an estate sale or try selling everything before the sale,” Syed said. “They would ask me if I wanted an offer on it, or they would put on the sale if no one wants to buy it.”
Syed’s business initially ran out of his garage. He eventually transferred his items into a warehouse and opened his first retail location on Sept. 1. Syed’s merchandise is 90% unmarked with a price tag. He wants customers to have the experience of negotiating or bargaining prices. There is even a sign on his storefront that reads: “Will trade for food.” He believes he can “gain loyal customers” by not having them worry about the pricing. He is willing to make deals, such as bundling items, so both parties can be satisfied with their exchanges.
“I just like selling stuff regardless of the price,” Syed said. “I want to see people happy with the deal they got. To be honest, there has been a time when I said, ‘10 dollars please,’ and the customer had a look of disappointment. I will try to bargain with them, but if people do not seem interested in the prices, I will just give it to them for free.”
Syed’s customer base is primarily the UO student community. The store’s promotional efforts are through word of mouth. Sam Galyen, a UO sophomore business and global studies student, said he was recommended by a friend to check out the store. The friend said it was “brand new and not too busy.” He was intrigued to visit the store because he needed decor for his new house.
“My friends and I just got a new house this year and needed stuff,” Galyen said. “Obviously with thrifting, the point is to be unique. We wanted things no one else would have.”
Syed hopes he can continue making his business successful on his terms. He believes he can grow his profit by going into a partnership or selling his rare merchandise online. However, Syed does not enjoy thinking about the unknowns of his business. He intends to add the finishing touches to the store in the meantime.
“I want to make this place as unique, interesting and fun as possible for the customers and myself,” Syed said. “Happiness sells. When people are in a good environment, they are more likely to buy.”
Thrift King Thrift Store is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thrift King, a new locally-owned thrift store in Eugene, offers a diverse collection of cool thrift finds, ranging from old dolls to kitchen supplies to Halloween-themed decor. Thrift King, Eugene’s newest locally-owned thrift store, is located off of 13th Street and is home to a variety of finds, ranging from quirky signs to vintage jackets (Sammie Claire / The Emerald)
