Queer thrift collective opens in Butchertown, offering the gayest gifts

by Sophia Lee (she/they)
sophia@queerkentucky.com

“We want the queer community and adjacent offshoots of that to feel safe here and know that they’re loved and welcome, always and in any circumstance. We really want to be able to help anyone in need while also clothing our queer besties.” – Chaella Higdon

When Megan Widmer and Chaella Higdon first met one another, they were individual vintage resellers bouncing from event to event with high hopes of taking their dreams to the next level. Although the two are total opposites when it comes to work and management styles, Higdon’s down-to-earth nature combined with Widmer’s chaotic excitement has cultivated an unstoppable duo.

The pair met at a market about two years ago where they were separate vendors with spaces next to one another, aka “booth buddies.” They quickly exchanged information with one another and made plans to get drinks but, unfortunately, life got in the way. The following year, Higdon reached out to Widmer and asked to get coffee because she had a “crazy idea.” Knowing what Higdon had in mine, Widmer eagerly agreed. This is where the idea for the collective began. 

“We call it a collective intentionally because we want to make sure that we are able to truly care for our vendors and foster a real community with them as well as the surrounding community. We try to do as much as we can on the back end to support them in every step of the process. For example, going over contracts. Contracts are difficult for the average person to understand and Megan has been going through it with them word by word, trying to make sure that everyone is fully understanding what they are agreeing to. We really want to make sure that we are able to uplift and keep everyone afloat,” Higdon stated.

In April 2022, the two started combining their inventories and selling at pop-up markets together. They hosted four of their own at the TEN20 Craft Brewery in Butchertown. They’ve hosted up to 35 vendors at a time at these events, including mainly vintage resellers and local artistry. Now, to take their vision even further, they have opened a brick-and-mortar as an extension of their pop-ups.

Currently, there are 31 vendors a part of the collective, in addition to their collection. Vendors start with a three-month contract to test out the waters as they continue to grow and evolve. Despite a high level of interest in joining the collective, things have been on pause while they work hard to get the shop open. They encourage people to continue applying as they are hoping to accept more vendors in the future. For now, the two are still figuring out everything there is to know about owning a physical shop.

The two worked day and night to paint and decorate the space. Thanks to the help of many of their vendors and community members, the store’s grand opening was on Saturday, April 22nd. They are located at 1008 E Washington St. Their current hours are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 AM to 7 PM, and Sundays from 12 to 5 PM.

The styles in the shop range from mid-century modern to the 1970s, into the 80s and 90s, anything retro, and up to Y2K. Their inventory includes “a curated collection of vintage clothing, accessories, home goods, and a few furniture pieces as well as locally handmade artistry and giftables,” described Widmer. They have a variety of vintage clothing, including double zero up to 2xl along with a few 3xl and 4xl options. The collective is not shoppable online yet but they are working on their website and Instagram shop as well. 

There is also a soon-to-come VIP styling experience with Widmer, available by appointment only, where she will measure and fit an individual with available rack options. If there is nothing in the store that fits their style, Widmer plan to outsource and even do some personal shopping for that person as a part of the experience. 

Overall, Higdon and Widmer seem to be most focused on supporting and partnering with local businesses. Their motto: Inclusivity. Sustainability. Community.

“We really want to be able to take care of each other when we are in need because it happens to everybody. And you never know. Times are hard,” Higdon said as she spoke about the Hard Times Collective fund, where a percentage of vendors can choose to donate some of their sales Widmer and Higdon are donating a percentage of their sales as well. This donation will go to the fund that will be available if one of their vendors or someone in their community needs help, for any reason. 

“As a queer and woman-owned business, we want to be able to support people in our community that experience adversity including queer people and people of color,” Widmer described their willing and welcoming attitude towards anyone looking to partner and do business or events with them. 

They will be temporarily taking time off from pop-ups while working on building up the shop, but hope to pick things back up late in the summer to help spread awareness about the collective as well as their vendors. 

“We are creating this bright, colorful shopping experience for our consumers. We really want them to get involved and notice all the fun details and colors so that when they come in it feels like a joyful experience, whether they purchase anything or not. And they leave with a smile on their face. That goes hand in hand with our sense of wanting to build this familial community vibe. We want everyone to leave happier than they walked in.” – Megan Widmer

Linktree – https://linktr.ee/hardtimesco