In 2025, Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake saw a 20% increase in foot traffic, as thrifting trends made storefronts shopping destinations, according to Goodwill’s marketing manager, Erin Shugar.
Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake has 30 retail storefronts and one outlet location across Baltimore City and eight counties — Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Caroline, Harford, Howard, Cecil, Wicomico and Talbot. In the month of December, Goodwill had over 260,000 visitors across its locations, ending the year with more than 3.4 million visitors, Shugar said. This rounded out to about 66,000 shoppers per week.
Coinciding with the increase in shopper traffic, Shugar said, local Goodwills have seen an increase in younger shoppers, particularly the Gen Z age range.
According to Goodwill’s website, social media plays a key role in shaping Gen Z fashion choices. The organization adds, Gen Z’s desire for “unique and personalized” styles have also driven their interest, and sometimes preference, for secondhand items.
Roughly 83% of Gen Z consumers have either purchased or are interested in secondhand apparel, about 10.7% more than the average of other age groups, according to a thrifting statistics report by Capital One last week.
“A lot of people are thrifting as a hobby, kind of as a sport. It’s an activity that they like to do,” Shugar said. “The thrift shop is more of a destination than just another errand in the list.”
While young shoppers are becoming more common, Shugar said Goodwill has continued seeing a diverse group of shoppers.
Finding hidden gems is something Bob Bearry, 68, appreciates about going to Goodwill. Bearry, of Dundalk, said he’s been thrifting for about 52 years. He first began at 16, when he first got his driver’s license. Every Wednesday was bulk trash day, so he and his friends would ride around the neighborhood Tuesday night to collect furniture that could be repurposed.
Bearry, who has obsessive-compulsive disorder and dyslexia, said he sees patterns when observing items, which allow him to imagine different uses for each items he picks up. While shopping at Goodwill, he’s picked up various items including DVDs, adding to his collection of roughly 3,000.
“[I’ve] always been very creative,” he said. “[Goodwill] is a great place to be. You can find well-loved pieces that are a little wear-and-tear …”
Over the years, Bearry has reframed art he’s purchased or created himself, with materials from Goodwill. He’d measure the photo and carry around a small sheet of paper with measurements on it and a measuring tape, for reassurance, and began searching for unique frames.
“It’s good if you have an idea of what you’re looking for,” he said. “That gives you the fun part to go actually look for it.”
Goodwill attempts to accept most items given to them through donations, Shugar said, but doesn’t take hazardous materials, mattresses, bed frames, baby items, food, beverages, ceiling fans, swimming pools, automobile parts, building materials or lumber.
Throughout the year, Goodwill receives predominately women’s clothing, Shugar said.
“I think we women tend to buy a lot of clothes, perhaps, so we potentially tend to donate more,” she said. “We have more to kind of turn over in our closets.”
“We really do try to accept as much as we can and re-home it to the best of our capabilities, rather than it going to the landfill,” she said.
Bearry recommends for everyone, regardless of age, to try thrifting. He added, you’ll find “one-of-a-kind” things, similar to a $40,000 painting left at an Easton location in 2008.
“If you see it today, buy it,” he said. “Because it won’t be here tomorrow.”
Have a news tip? Contact Shaela Foster at sfoster@baltsun.com or 443-826-5894.
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