Thrift stores see uptick in customers [Video]

The holiday shopping season may have come to an end, but for some Maritimers, now is the best time to thrift.

“We even start to see that right before the wrap up of the year. A lot of people will pre-emptively start making space for at home for new things that they know are coming in,” says Cherry Laxton, chief operation officer for Souls Harbour Rescue Mission.

Laxton says Mission Mart in Halifax has seen that first-hand.

“Certainly, right in the new year we absolutely see that massive increase in donations,” says Laxton.

And that’s partly because of the successful trend thrifting continues to have.

“Thrifting is big business,” says Laxton. “Thrifting as an industry is huge these days, it’s grown tremendously.”

Bruce Winder, a Toronto-based retail analyst, says he is not surprised thrift stores are seeing an uptick in both donations and sales this month.

“You can not only take what’s in your …