US shoppers are flocking to thrift stores as anxiety around President Trump’s trade war – and its potential to reheat inflation – sparks demand in the tariff-free secondhand market.
Evergreen Goodwill, a Washington-based network of 23 thrift stores, said its weekly foot traffic rose 6% year-over-year in the first half of this year — double the 3% annual growth the network typically records.
At its flagship Seattle location — the largest Goodwill store in the world — foot traffic is up 9%, bringing in 16,000 visitors each week.
“Last Monday, we had a little over 80 people in line waiting to get in,” said Kahina Boufnar, a production manager at the Seattle flagship who helps sort through and price more than 57,000 items for sale each week. 5
For months, trade experts have warned tha