Is thrifting still thrifty?
Thrifting has long been a favorite pastime of Seattleites, so much so that we have the biggest Goodwill store in the world.
But buying second-hand is also an economic survival strategy for people who can't pay full price on back-to-school clothes or home appliances.
Now, in this increasingly expensive city, there's a sense that thrift stores are no longer fitting that need.
On today's episode, Monica talks to an expert on thrift culture about the economic forces shaping second-hand shopping and why some say it might not be the place for bargain-hunters anymore.
Guest:
Jennifer Le Zotte, author of From Goodwill to Grunge: A History of Secondhand Styles and Alternative Economies
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.
Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.
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Monica Nickelsburg
AI & Economy Reporter
Monica Nickelsburg covers artificial intelligence, tech and the local economy in the Pacific Northwest.
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Joshua McNichols
Reporter
As KUOW's Growth and Development reporter and co-host of KUOW's Booming podcast, Joshua's "growing pains" beat sits at the nexus of housing, transportation, urban planning, government and the economy. His favorite stories also include themes of history, technology, and climate change.
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Carol Smith
Editor
Carol is an editor of news, features, documentaries and podcasts at KUOW. She specializes in narrative approaches. Her team of reporters has covered a range of beats, including regional growth issues, homelessness, the economy, public health, immigration, food, arts and culture. Prior to joining KUOW, Carol was a long-time print journalist for The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Los Angeles Times and others. Her enterprise reporting has won multiple national j awards for investigative and explanatory journalism. She is author of the memoir: Crossing the River: Seven Stories that Saved My Life (Abrams Press, 2021).
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Lucy Soucek
Senior Podcast Producer
Lucy Soucek is a senior producer at KUOW. She helped launch and now produces Booming, a podcast about the economic forces shaping our lives here in the Pacific Northwest. She also produces THE WILD with Chris Morgan, a podcast about the wonder and resilience of nature.
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Alec Cowan
Senior Podcast Producer
Alec Cowan is a senior podcast producer for KUOW, where he works on Booming and other podcast projects. He's worked on many station programs, including Soundside, The Record with Bill Radke, Primed, and SoundQs.
More stories from Alec Cowan »
