Groovy Thrifty began in 2018 as an online retail and side hustle for Sadie MacIver, who opened her first brick-and-mortar store at 64 Brighton Ave. on March 8.
A month ago, MacIver, a 23-year-old University of New Hampshire alum, was a full-time vet tech. She still works one weekday at the hospital, while five others are spent as the boss of Groovy Thrifty, as well as its only employee.
MacIver shared how this dream, six years in the making, became a reality.
“Growing up, I did a lot of shopping at thrift stores because it was cheaper and I’ve always loved fashion,” MacIver said. “That’s why I started the business, where I basically was just reselling my own clothes in my closet to make some extra money.”
MacIver said growing up, she liked her own style of clothes.
“I didn’t want to show up to school picture day wearing the same thing as somebody else,” MacIver said. “I liked unique stuff.”
MacIver’s own style has made its way into Groovy Thrifty, which up until now, has lived online and in pop-up markets.
“I do have some true vintage pieces around here … but then I also have just stylish clothes that I like, so it’s very curated,” MacIver said. “It’s a thrift shop that has the best pieces [from] everywhere around it.”
MacIver said that with Groovy Thrifty she hopes to combat two trends she finds worrying in the thrifting industry: rising prices and fast fashion.
“I want to be able to offer things that everyone can buy,” MacIver said. “I want college kids [who] have a part-time job and not a ton of extra money [who] want to come here and shop around [to be able] to buy something.”
MacIver praised the rising awareness of the environmental threat posed by fast fashion, and said sustainability has been a driving goal behind Groovy Thrifty’s business.
“Groovy Thrifty is curated and upcycled clothing, houseware, accessories, things like that,” MacIver said. “Finding pieces before they head to the trash and then finding them a new home is the focus of the business, and slow fashion, recycling and reducing.”
On the inside, Groovy Thrifty lives up to its name, with its interior design combining MacIver’s eclectic tastes and her father’s love for mid-century modern interior design. A grid of classic rock albums covers an entire back wall, in front of a ruby red table lifted straight from a 1950s diner. Next to it sits a couch with a built-in coffee table and 70s-era upholstery.
“My dad is really into mid-century modern furniture and style … I’ve always been into the clothing part and he’s always been into the furniture and houseware stuff,” MacIver said. “He helps me with some of the decorating part of things, but for the most part … I just wanted a really bright, colorful welcoming space.”
Whatever the inspiration, it seems to be working for customers.
“My friend, he actually just took me to different thrift store, and I’m liking this one a lot better,” said shopper Jaydan Nguyen. “They got a lot of cool stuff here, they got some shirts, and that hat right there, that hat right there is dope, I might have to come back [for that].”
Nguyen, and his friend Jiden Santos, were both drawn to Groovy Thrifty’s selection, especially a hot pink and green baseball cap with the words “Groovy Thrifty” in an electric font.
“I was looking at the [t-shirts], I’m going to have to come back to get a tee for sure,” Santos said. “And also that Groovy Thrifty hat.”
“We made a little deal, we can share the hat,” Nguyen said.
This is a wonderful place!