News And Reviews: Savers of Willow Grove, PA

#RethinkResuse

At long last, a Savers has made its way to the Keystone State. And being the dedicated thrift shopper that I am, I simply had to visit this brand, spankin' new location. While I would've loved to attend the official ribbon-cutting ceremony of the grand opening back in April, the day job made that impossible. But I was able to make it after the initial fanfare ended, and I was pleasantly surprised to find good reason to celebrate this new secondhand venue. 

A far cry from the dimly lit, and sometimes dingy interior of your every day thrift store, Savers features a bright, cheerful sales floor that is as creatively staged as it is organized. While some thrifters aren't opposed to digging in unsorted bins for buried treasures, we sometimes long for something more akin to the standard retail experience. And enter the Savers of Willow Grove, PA.

A display worthy of donations.

Right at the entrance, you can see the care in which the Savers company takes to provide their customers with a pleasant shopping experience. It's cute. It's quirky. And it definitely aims to cash in on the DIY/boho/Pinterest-obsessed trend that is opening thrift store doors to a whole new clientele. 

Photo courtesy of Savers. 

From the clean and organized fixtures, to the shabby chic signage all around the store, this Savers has a truly fun thrift shopping atmosphere. Oh did I mention organized? I mean ORGANIZED. If you're looking for affordable new-to-you fashion,  you'll find it arranged by garment size and by garment style---which makes for a convenient shopping trip if you're searching for something specific. 

And their plus size department? You won't find one. Because larger sizes are included within the women's and men's clothing department, respectively. No longer are we crammed into sad, small sections of the store. I could do a victory dance right down the aisles. And maybe I did. Don't judge me.

Photo courtesy of Savers.

Re-Style. Reuse. Rethink. Savers is all about the 'Re' And if you take the time to peruse their website, you will see why. 

According to their company mission, "Reuse is Savers' reason for being. With the average American throwing out 81 pounds of textiles each year, 95% of which could have been given a second life, Savers gives shoppers the power to build a wardrobe on a budget, while reducing the impact on the planet." Those are staggering numbers to consider. And while every thrift store's primary goal is to dually the fund the community and lessen the landfills, I'm not sure any thrift stores are speaking with such conviction. Their social media accounts are a visual testament to their cause---providing interested parties with both statistics on global waste and thrifty tips on how to make secondhand style work for anyone. 

Photo courtesy of Savers.

But enough about what's on the hangers. Because this Savers of Willow Grove, PA has even more to offer. Books (and just look at this display near their book section), housewares, electronics, toys, accessories, bric-a-brac, jewelry... it's all here. And it's all in near-mint condition with fair prices. And what's more? A second Pennsylvania location will be opening later this year!

Undoubtedly this thrift store will draw a consistent crowd of eager thrift shoppers looking for secondhand bargains. But if you're a conscientious thrift shopper, like myself, you might be wondering what your secondhand finds fund at the community level. 

Well, the Willow Grove Savers has a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters through the Clothes For Kids' Sake program, which funds community and school-based initiatives that provide children facing adversity with compassionate and caring adult mentors. When members of the community donate their goods to Clothes for Kids’ Sake at Savers’ on-site Community Donation Center, Savers pays Clothes for Kids’ Sake for those items, even if those items don't make it to the sales floor.Through this partnership, Clothes for Kids’ Sake receives a steady source of income that it distributes to local youth mentoring agencies like Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region.

And with an estimated 10,000 items stocked on the Savers sales floor every day, that's a whole lot of thrifting for a good cause. 

Photo courtesy of Savers. 

So if you're looking to lessen the landfill, if you're looking for an alternative to fast-fashion that only harms the environment, if you're looking for thrifting with a mission...visit the Willow Grove, PA Savers. 

Many thanks to Olivia Tinsley from Savers for providing photos and additional information for this review. 

How Thrifting Can Inspire Your Creativity

Thrift shopping means bargains for shoppers, funds for charities, and a second life for useful items that would otherwise meet their end in a landfill. As an alternative to standard retail shopping, thrift stores provide us shoppers with a potential treasure trove of fashion, housewares, entertainment, electronics, and more. 

But have you considered thrift stores to be fuel for your creativity? I, myself, am a sponge, constantly absorbing droplets of information and inspiration. And when I'm out thrifting, I'm just sucking up all the visual cues to creative projects in the making.  Maybe it's a worse for wear dresser that could be given fresh paint and a fresh purpose as a bar. Maybe it's a richly colored textile that inspires a photo shoot. The creative possibilities abound. 

And for me, there are two specific and much sought-after sources of inspiration: Vintage photographs and skeleton keys. And I've grown to ask myself why I've been compelled to collect these relics. Both are tangible reminders of a bygone era. Both have an intimacy, a closeness that meant something special to the original owner. 

I've salvaged many vintage photographs from the thrift and made a gallery for others to enjoy them as well. But it just wasn't enough. Flipping through my photo album of found memories, I had a thought. I wanted to make them into something more. And so I did. 

Using the magic of Grafix Shrink Film and small novelty skeleton keys from AC Moore. I made a charm bracelet entirely inspired by my two beloved thrift-found collections. And in the coming days, I'll be posting a how-to guide for the process, and an exciting corporate sponsored giveaway from the Grafix company, so you too can create something special.

After a few days of seeing my vintage wares dangling from my wrist, I had another thought. And while it at first seemed impulsive, I knew it was something I wanted all along. But... that's for another post. So stay tuned for the big reveal of yet another thrift-inspired bit of creativity and an official giveaway announcement. 

How has thrift shopping inspired you?

The Resource Exchange of Philadelphia, PA

In the Port Richmond area of Philadelphia, within a red-bricked building a mere 20 minutes from my home, lies a business based entirely on creative reuse.

Since 2009, The Resource Exchange has salvaged tons, literally tons of what was once considered waste. From theatrical props and set pieces, to art supplies, fabrics, lumber and a miscellany of remnants from buildings and movie demolitions, The Resource Exchange will take it all in and sell it cheaply to Philadelphia artists and crafters. This cyclical rescue mission lessens the landfills, keeps the theatrical goods in Philly for creative reuse and makes for interesting browsing.

Here's just some of what The Resource Exchange had in store.

If you ever find yourself in the Philadelphia area and are looking for some creative inspiration when it comes to secondhand supplies, The Resource Exchange at 2829 Cedar Street is a must-see salvage center.