Looking for hidden, thrifted treasures? This Puyallup event may be the mother lode
There’s a two-day event happening in Puyallup made for those who fancy thrifted goods.
A large-scale thrifting event will be held at the expo hall of the Washington State Fair from March 5-6. Saturday’s event will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday’s event will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets are $8 for both days, but people can pay $20 for early bird admission Saturday. This gives them access to the event an hour before the general public that day. Children 12 years old and under do not have to pay an admission fee.
Tickets can be purchased online at thriftapalooza.net/purchase-tickets/ or at the door.
Thriftapalooza co-founder Ston Nguyen said there are currently 90 groups expected to sell items at the event. Most are non-business owners or garage sellers while others are local vendors, he said.
People interested in selling their goods can sign up online. Attendees can expect to pay with cash or card, depending on the seller or vendor. ATMs will be available onsite. Masks are required.
Nguyen said there used to be a swap meet in Lakewood several years ago. It was discontinued and became an Amazon warehouse, he said. Both Nguyen and his wife, Jennifer Nguyen, were raised in Tacoma.
“My wife is a big-time thrifter and also a big environmentalist,” Ston Nguyen said. “I recently got my business degree, and I’m constantly looking for new businesses to start … we stumbled upon this idea, and we ran with it.”
The Nguyens came up with the concept for Thriftapalooza in fall 2021, Ston Nguyen said. The thrifting event in March marks the first time they are hosting an event, he said. They plan to host another thrifting event in fall 2022.
“We want to teach people more about sustainability and reducing waste at the same time,” Ston Nguyen said. “We think that there’s a market for it right now because more people want to be more conscious about the environment.”
This story was originally published February 28, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
