A much-loved Kitsilano thrift shop is saying goodbye to its home | Daily Hive

Shoppers browsing inside Rummage, which is relocating after three years in its current Kitsilano spot. (Rummage Community Thrift/Facebook)

If you’ve thrifted in Kitsilano anytime in the last three years, chances are you’ve walked out of Rummage with a treasure, or at least with a story.

Now, the much-loved thrift shop is getting ready to pack up and move after learning its building is being demolished to make way for condos.

Sitting on a stool in the storage room, surrounded by half-packed boxes and racks waiting to be moved, owner Zoe Pearce admitted she’s feeling all the emotions.

“It’s… bittersweet,” Pearce told Daily Hive. “This space is magical, and we’ve made so many memories here. But I’m choosing to see it as one door closing and another opening.”

How it all started

Pearce never planned on running a thrift empire.

Fresh out of her master’s at UBC and stuck in the early days of COVID-19, she started volunteering at another shop.

“Friends kept saying, ‘Zoe, you should do your own thing,'” she recalled. “So I did.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by RUMMAGE Community Thrift (@thriftrummage)

The first Rummage opened in a tiny sublet on West 4th Avenue.

What was supposed to be a three-month pop-up turned into a year, followed by a quick stint in Dunbar.

The current location came next, and it quickly became a Kits favourite.

Even the name Rummage has roots in Pearce’s childhood.

“My best friend’s mom designed a board game called Rummage about garage-saling. We played it all the time. When I was brainstorming names, my friend said, ‘Why don’t you call it Rummage?’ It felt perfect, and it honours her mom, who was the most creative woman I’ve ever known. She sadly passed away in 2020, so the name also feels like a way to carry on her legacy.”

The move

The new Rummage will be just up the road on West 4th Avenue, across from Ramen Danbo and near Rain or Shine Ice Cream.

“It’s not permanent,” Pearce admitted.

“It’s another short-term lease. But we’ll have about the same space and some storage, and we’re excited to make it ours.”

Employee Jasmine Beddingfield also chipped in, “I’ll miss this place because it feels so comfortable and independent. But I know we’ll recreate that energy at the new shop.”

More than racks of clothes

Rummage has always been about more than thrift racks.

The shop has hosted artist pop-ups, thrift-themed photoshoots, and creative collaborations.

Its Instagram presence, curated by staff, is known for playful, Gen Z-style thrift videos.

“We’ve always wanted to use our space to support creators and spark curiosity,” Pearce said. “That’s what thrifting is about… giving old things new life, curating your own style, and finding treasures.”

To lighten the load before moving, Rummage is offering 25 per cent off almost all clothing and shoes.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by RUMMAGE Community Thrift (@thriftrummage)

Jewellery, sunglasses, and select homeware are excluded, but otherwise, it’s a chance to snag your next thrifted gem before the shop’s early October reopening.

In a neighbourhood where small businesses are often priced out, Pearce knows the challenges of staying afloat.

She points to the support of the local community as the reason Rummage has survived.

“The local Facebook group has been so supportive. People donate, people shop, people spread the word… that’s why we’re still here,” she said.

“We’re grateful for every single person who’s come through our doors.”

As for what keeps shoppers coming back? For Beddingfield, it’s the joy of finding something unexpected, “I have this old sepia photo of someone’s grandpa holding a rifle… It’s soft and hardcore at the same time. That’s the beauty of thrifting.”

For Pearce, it’s her signature cowboy boots.

“Everything I wear is thrifted,” she said. “It’s part of who I am.”

You might also like:

Want to stay on top of all things Vancouver? Follow us on X