National Thrift Shop Day is August 17, and Jocelyn Hunt plans to celebrate in style.
Jocelyn is the founder of Thrifting Central GA., an endeavor that includes a blog, a Facebook page, and a Facebook thrifting group where diligent shoppers and thrift store owners can connect. Her mission statement on the Thrifting Central GA Facebook page is “to provide style inspiration and information about thrift shopping in Central Georgia and to encourage thrifters to ‘Shop for a Cause.’”
Thrifting Central GA celebrates her love of style and shopping for a bargain. “I’ve been an avid thrift shopper for over 25 years,” says Jocelyn.
She was home sick one day when she came across a similar concept on a Facebook page run by an Atlanta woman, and Jocelyn reached out to ask if she could borrow the idea. She was supportive, and helped Jocelyn set up her own organizational Facebook page.
However, buying stylish clothing and accessories at a great price isn’t Jocelyn’s only goal. She is passionate about sharing the good things that thrift stores contribute to the communities where they operate. After setting up her organization, Jocelyn began reaching out to the owners and operators of thrift stores in Middle Georgia to ask them to participate in Thrifting Central GA.
“Over the last three years,” say Jocelyn, “I have worked to bring thrift stores owners and thrift shoppers together. It has led to some great partnerships and increased store foot traffic and awareness as to where funds from shopping at local stores go to support various organizations and great causes.”
Jocelyn’s Facebook page and blog are where she shares tips for things like how to find the best values at thrift stores and how to style individual pieces into winning outfit combinations. She also shares pictures of her own thrift store purchases with her readers.
Thrifting Central GA has a strong online presence. In her Facebook group, there are over one thousand members, including both shoppers and store owners, who use the group to connect with each other. Her blog was voted one of the top 60 thrifting blogs on the internet.
However, Jocelyn is building her presence in the community with opportunities for face-to-face interaction. Periodically, she hosts thrift shop pop-ups, where she arranges to meet her followers in person. She also does meet and greet events at WEAR, one of downtown Macon’s hippest thrift stores.
National Thrift Shop Day is August 17, and Jocelyn is already gearing up for it: “I will have planned a week-long celebration, which will take place from August 13th – 18th,” she shares.
The event will include activities like a thrift scavenger hunt, to get shoppers in the local thrift shops, vintage sellers, and consignment shops.
Jocelyn has also prepared a week of blog posts to educate shoppers and to dispel myths about thrifting and more.
Thrifting Central GA’s celebration of National Thrift Shop Day will culminate on Saturday August 18th with a thrift fashion show, featuring a Project Runway-inspired special feature, a wedding dress re-imagined by local artists.
“Artists from the 567 Center for Renewal and local designers will give new life to old wedding dresses,” Jocelyn explains.
“My goal,” she says, “is to highlight what kinds of fashion cans be found at local Central Georgia thrift stores.” Jocelyn hopes to bring more shoppers to our local thrift stores and increase participation in the local thrifting economy. She also hopes that both shoppers and owners of thrift stores, vintage sellers, and consignment shops who aren’t already part of Thrifting Central GA will consider joining the Facebook group and following her blog.
Thrifting Central GA is always interested in adding additional retailing partners.
Readers can follow Jocelyn Hunt on her blog, which is located at www.thriftingcentralga.com. She has an introduction to thrift shopping in Middle Georgia called “What is Thrifting Central Ga,” located online at http://www.thriftingcentralga.com/p/about-thrifting-central-ga.html.
Follow her Facebook page for more information about Thrifting Central GA’s National Thrift Shop Day activities, on Facebook at Thrifting Central GA.
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