KALAMAZOO, MI — A new clothing store on the Kalamazoo Mall is bringing a mix of sustainability and functionality to downtown Kalamazoo shoppers.
A soft opening of Great Lakes Thrift Co. is underway after being stalled by the shutdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Located at 328 S. Kalamazoo Mall, between Down Dog Yoga Center and MRC Artworks, the store is owned and operated by Baroda native and Western Michigan University graduate Anika Johnson.
Johnson, 28, said part of her love for finding clothing stems from her mother, who was an avid antiquer. Growing up, Johnson and her mother would visit thrift shops to pick out our favorite clothes for the new school year. The hobby grew as Johnson got older.
“It actually wasn’t until I started studying fashion at WMU that I started thrifting more as a young adult, and really getting into sustainable fashion and secondhand clothing,” Johnson said.
After taking classes and learning about how wasteful the fashion industry can be, Johnson said she has kept sustainability at the top of her mind when launching her own business. She remembers going to retail stores as a kid, buying something from the mall and then only being able to wear it once when the garment was destroyed in the wash cycle.
“You start to realize quality over quantity becomes important, especially when you’re on a budget as a college student,” Johnson said.
Before Johnson had any intentions of operating out of a storefront, she launched Great Lakes Thrift Co. in 2018 as a vendor for Vintage in the Zoo, an outdoor secondhand market that lines the Kalamazoo Farmers Market with tables and tents full of vintage clothing and antiques.
“I just came up with a name and hung my clothes under a tent and had no idea what I was doing, and I think it was the most fun I ever had,” Johnson said.
Johnson became a regular vendor at Vintage in the Zoo, attending each event in 2019. She met some more established thrifters, from whom Johnson said she took inspiration.
“There was some bigger vendors that kind of just took me under their wing and I kind of just learned by watching and doing,” Johnson said. “But it wasn’t until the pop-up on the Kalamazoo Mall that we realized people really shop vintage and are interested in vintage clothing; there’s foot traffic down here and it just makes sense.”
Johnson saw a need for a clothing store on the Kalamazoo Mall and jumped at the chance to purchase the space. But one week after she secured the space, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home orders stalled the store’s opening amid the coronavirus pandemic. Johnson said her business took that time to paint and add lighting.
Inside, Great Lakes Thrift Co., customers will find vintage Harley Davidson and college t-shirts, denim jackets, flannel shirts and more. The space is filled with old knick-knacks, vintage decor and art hanging across the walls.
“I think the selection encapsulates my journey in life, I’ve lived in an urban area, I’ve lived in a rural area on a farm, I’ve lived overseas for a while, so this is kind of a mixture of what I like to wear and the style that’s kind of been created from all those different locations,” Johnson said.
During its soft opening, Great Lakes Thrift Co. will be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Though plans for the business’ hours are still in flux, you can check Great Lakes Thrift Co.‘s Facebook page for updates.
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