Hi! I'm Erica Qualy! I'm a life-long thrifter and second hand lifestyle enthusiast. I'm a firm believer that everything we could possibly need has already been made. I hope to combine my passion and skill for curating quality second hand items by opening up a brick and mortar shop. I believe my unique experience of doing professional organizing, cleaning, activism, and managing a vintage shop has equipped me to take this next step.

Business name: Tako’s Second Hand

Business mission:

Tako’s Second Hand is a worker-owned cooperative. It is a community second hand store that aims to pay living wages to workers, strives to keep prices fair, and donates 10% of profits to local organizations that align with our mission to help marginalized folks in the Memphis area. This shop will hopefully be the first place Memphians think to go when they need to buy, sell, donate, or trade their quality used merchandise. Ideally, Tako’s Second Hand would also serve as a community hub- offering workshops centered around recycling/reusing/repairing, hosting clothing swaps, neighborhood yard sales, and other events aimed at building community and promoting a second-hand lifestyle.

Proposed shop hours would be daily, 12-5 PM

How fundraising money would be used:

Business license

Hiring an accountant

Rent

Utilities

Insurance

Store fixtures