Fast fashion may dominate social media feeds, but in Austin, a different movement has been quietly thriving for decades.
Long before sustainable fashion became a buzzword, Austinites embraced thrift stores, vintage boutiques, and resale shops in search of one-of-a-kind finds. Today, that culture is stronger than ever, and Craig Berlin, owner of Uptown Cheapskate Austin, believes resale has evolved from a budget-conscious necessity into a style statement with environmental benefits.
"We've always had a really strong resale culture in Austin," Berlin said. "It's been cool here long before it became trendy everywhere else."
Berlin and his wife, Lurinda, opened their first Uptown Cheapskate on South Lamar in 2013 after years of working in other industries. His fascination with resale began long before then, fueled by weekend treasure hunts and a belief that secondhand shopping deserved a better customer experience.
That philosophy has helped the couple grow to five stores, including locations on Burnet Road in North Austin, San Marcos and College Station, while earning recognition as one of the franchise's top-performing operators.
Their success comes as consumers are paying closer attention to fashion's environmental footprint. The fashion industry produces roughly 92 million tons of textile waste each year, while Americans discard an average of more than 80 pounds of clothing annually. Much of it ends up in landfills despite still being wearable.
Resale helps keep those garments in circulation.
Berlin estimates that about 95 percent of Uptown Cheapskate's inventory comes directly from the local community, giving clothing a second life while keeping closets — and landfills — from overflowing.
"We're not at the farmers market, but we are locally sourced," he joked.
Customers aren't simply looking for bargains, either.
Many come searching for vintage denim, discontinued boots or designer labels that are no longer available at retail. Others enjoy the thrill of discovering something no one else is wearing.
"You can find things that you will not find anywhere else," Berlin said. "People enjoy the hunt, they enjoy the savings and, to a lesser degree, they like doing something sustainable."
That constant demand means Berlin's team spends as much time studying fashion trends as traditional retailers. Buyers regularly visit malls and monitor brands to understand changing silhouettes, fabrics and colors before deciding what belongs on Uptown's racks.
Still, customer service remains the company's biggest differentiator.
"We try to provide the same service that people would get in a boutique," Berlin said. "The comments we're most proud of are that people love our staff and that our stores are clean, organized and curated."
Items that don't make the sales floor aren't wasted, either. Unsold clothing is donated to nonprofit partners supporting wounded veterans and education initiatives in developing countries, ensuring nearly every garment finds another purpose.
For Berlin, resale has never been just about fashion.
"I love the idea that we're making a good living doing something objectively good," he said. "We're repurposing millions of pounds every year."
As more shoppers push back against disposable fashion, Austin's long-standing love affair with resale may no longer be ahead of its time. It may simply be the future of style.
Visit www.uptowncheapskateaustin.com for more information and store locations.