Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Burton.
Hi Natalie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been a rescuer of things for all my life- pulling scraps out of the garbage and saving all the bits and bobs just in case I found a use for them someday. When I started seeing second-hand fabric stores and creative reuse centers on social media, I thought, “If there’s anywhere in the whole wide world that could use a shop like that it’s Utah County.”
When one of the shops I followed on TikTok (@swansonsfabrics) held a business workshop, it felt like a sign. We opened our doors on August 15, 2022, and we’ve been amazed at the positive response we’ve had from the community.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We knew that we wanted a brick-and-mortar location from the beginning, and it didn’t take long to find a cute building on Main Street. We spent a month spiffing it up and were ready to open when we discovered a zoning hiccup with the city.
It turned out the bathroom in the building was long overdue for an update, and we couldn’t open it til it was done. Between plans and permits and red tape, we were in a holding pattern for about five months. That sure wasn’t in our business plan, but we learned a lot about the importance of double and triple-checking the details.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Making Space Thrift?
Making Space is the happy place where crafting and thrifting meet! While we specialize in fabric and other fiber art supplies, we take donations of any creative supplies from paper crafting to kids’ arts and crafts. Because we are fueled by donations from our community, we are able to offer a sustainable and affordable alternative to larger craft stores.
I’m especially proud of our Free Community Art Closet. When folks donate art supplies and kid crafting supplies- leftover sticker pages, poster paint, pipe cleaners, construction paper, etc.- they go straight to our Art Closet where they are 100% FREE to anyone who could use them.
For many of our customers, taking in their donations has turned out to be the most valuable service that we offer. Letting go can be especially hard for creative folks because we see potential everywhere! But there are times when cleaning out is necessary.
Whether someone is paring down before a move, or doing the emotional work of going through the lifetime collection of a departed loved one, it is so much easier to let go when they know it is going somewhere where it will be appreciated, valued, and used!
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think the thing we hear most often from new customers is, “This makes so much sense! I can’t believe this didn’t already exist!” Saving money and being kinder to the planet are top of mind for so many of us these days, and I believe that we’ll see this little niche grow and grow.
Pricing:
- Fabric- $4/yard
Contact Info:
- Website: www.makingspacethrift.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makingspacethrift/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/makingspacethrift/
Image Credits
Abby Alger
