LYNN — Almost a year ago, Courtney Capano was laid off from her corporate job. Now, she is a thriving business owner, making thrift shopping and getting rid of old clothes easy.
“I’m very passionate about sustainability and making environmentally conscious choices in my own life,” the 30-year-old said. “To build a community that loves the same things as me is so important.”
It all started after the layoff when Capano began selling thrift bundles, which are curated outfits and clothing selections customized for each client. It was then she noticed a major gap in the thrifting community. On the North Shore, she felt the only thrifting experiences were high-end consignment shops, which can be very expensive, or the average thrift shops like Savers or Salvation Army, where not everyone has the time to dig through everything.
So, she took to the internet and started to do some research. That’s when she came across Indy Clover, a concept that only existed in the western United States. Their slogan is “Book a booth and shop your lucky finds.”
It works like this: you clean out your closet, head to Indy Clover’s website to book a booth that you can design and restock whenever, tag and price your own items as you see fit, and then let the store employees handle everything else for you. The final step? You get paid!
“I just couldn’t believe this concept existed,” Capano said. “I just kept saying how much we need it here.”
Last April, Capano decided to franchise the business and bring it to the East Coast. She spent nearly six weeks trying to find the perfect location, and that’s when she came across 390 Main St., in Wakefield, which used to be Smith’s Drug Store.
As a first-time business owner, Capano said it was difficult to get a loan, and it took a lot longer than she expected. Thankfully, she had it by the summer, and she was able to sign the lease for her new adventure. They opened on Sept. 28 and have had nonstop booth bookings ever since.
While giving a tour of the shop, she pointed out some original design structures from the old pharmacy that she decided to reinvent and incorporate, like the checkered tile by the front and the curved structure at the back of the store.
“I kept the old-school vibes and personality of the building,” she said. “Smith’s Drug was such a huge part of the town, and we wanted to pay homage to that.”
As a first-time business owner, there was a lot that Capano had to learn on the fly. So, it’s a beautiful thing that this venture quickly became a family affair. Her mother actually left her orthodontic office job of 38 years to help grow the business and even works there on a regular basis; her dad and brother help with all the electrical work, her sister-in-law picks up shifts as an employee, and her lawyer husband helped make it all happen.
Oh, and her twin toddlers? They’re the cutest store mascots you’ll ever see. They are the perfect addition to Capano’s staff of employees, who make it easily visible that they love their jobs and they love their boss.
“I never expected to be able to have my family so ingrained in my career,” she said. “And if I never got laid off, I would still be doing that corporate job, and I know I’d be miserable.”
