Rogers City Lifestyle teamed up with local high school journalism students on a series of articles about youth culture, business, and more. This article is part of the series, written by Midori Holt from School for Advanced Studies, located in Rogers.
As we all know, keeping up with the latest fashion trends can be exhausting. It seems that every time you open social media, there’s a new one floating around, but what if I told you that shopping could be so much easier—and your wardrobe would get a major upgrade at the same time?
Look no further because Liberty Belle Thrift is here for you! It is a small business run by Annalee Grat that’s focused on ending fast fashion one clothing item at a time. Before we can understand her goals as a small business owner, it’s important to take a closer look at the beginnings of Liberty Belle Thrift.
“I’ve always loved secondhand shopping, and my friends always said I have a special eye for pieces,” Annalee says. That’s where the spark began.
About a year and a half ago she started selling clothing through her Instagram. Her main source of clothing was the Goodwill bins—where items are at their final stop before being sent to landfills. At first, she sold mostly to classmates and friends. It wasn’t until March 2024 that her business gained traction, but then a tornado struck and wrecked her plans of becoming a retailer. With all of Rogers in disarray, she found it hard to continue the business, so it took a backseat to her other priorities.
This year, however, she was given loads of opportunities to use professional equipment and to get help relaunching, so this time she decided to create a brand rather than a simple Instagram account. Thus Liberty Belle Thrift was born.
“The name Liberty Belle Thrift actually comes from my middle name, which is Liberty, and then Belle, which is the French word for beauty.” Annalee explains. It’s a clever play on words, but don’t let the cute name fool you; the journey hasn’t been without struggles. Annalee remarked on how difficult it was to find the motivation to start, knowing it would be a lot to handle.
“Even when I had started, it was just really hard to build my identity with Liberty Belle Thrift," she says. Most small business owners can relate to the struggle of starting, especially in a competitive market like fashion.
With the rise of consumerism, the need for brand-name items has really skyrocketed, but it’s important to remember the value of supporting local businesses as well.
Annalee’s final message to everyone on behalf of Liberty Belle Thrift is simple: shop secondhand.
“Anything you want already exists, and there is no reason to buy another just to clutter the world even more. We have enough clothing on this earth to dress 10 generations, so why on earth would you want to add more to that?” Annalee passionately adds.
Not to mention, older clothing is usually better quality than fast fashion nowadays, so it will last you longer anyway. Plus, who wants to pay egregious amounts for clothes when Annalee is selling them for way cheaper?
I implore everyone to go check out Liberty Belle Thrift’s instagram page, @libertybellethrift, for more information and to find your new favorite outfit. She is currently selling most of her clothing to NWA buyers at pop-ups around town, so keep an eye out for one of those, too.