Have you ever heard of the “IKEA Bag Boys” or typically simply the “IKEA Bag Children?” Most likely not, until you might be within the classic clothes resale enterprise, or someplace adjoining, like me, as a classic and vintage generalist. Learn on to study all concerning the rise of IKEA Bag Boy tradition, and whether or not it’s exhibiting warning indicators of a classic enterprise bubble at risk of bursting.
“IKEA Bag Boys” are hustlers; facet hustlers, to be actual. Over the previous decade or so, because the 1% have turn into wealthier and everybody else is hanging by a thread, having a “facet hustle” has turn into more and more commonplace in American tradition. By no means earlier than within the historical past of our nation have there been so many cookie bakers and candle makers, DoorDashers and part-time Uber drivers. Having an old style, 9-5, Monday-Friday job that pays the payments has turn into an increasing number of troublesome for a number of causes means past my wheelhouse, however apparent to anybody who counts themselves fortunate (or unfortunate) to have a thriving side-hustle enterprise.
The IKEA Bag Boys naturally developed from this Twenty first-century phenomenon, as millennials and Gen Z have found how straightforward and worthwhile it may be to flip classic clothes. Maybe a university pupil had an outdated sports activities jersey their mother and father purchased for them, however they by no means wore, hanging of their closet. Someday, for lack of something higher to do, they looked for its worth on a distinguished on-line market. Wowza! Think about discovering you can also make a fast hundred bucks by promoting that outdated jersey on-line, having to do little greater than throw it in a vinyl delivery envelope you had mendacity round in your dorm room. Are you able to say “beer cash?” Sure, that is how the IKEA Bag Boys had been born.
From Nascar Shirts to Carhartt Jackets
Subsequent factor , not solely are these fellows flipping the stuff of their closets, however now they’re beginning to supply their merchandise. As a reseller, I do know all too properly what this implies. Fortunately, I’m principally not within the sport of slogging via dusty thrift retailer cabinets and stressing about not attending to an property sale as early because the septuagenarian fellows with their tidy L.L. Bean boat and tote baggage. Nevertheless, I additionally admit it’s enjoyable to do infrequently.
Immediately, I get my prime stock from shoppers who hear about my enterprise via phrase of mouth. (Sure, I additionally get plenty of china and crystal, however that’s a narrative for one more time.) The stock involves me, because it had been, versus me searching for out the stock. However in case you are a classic clothes reseller, the sphere has abruptly turn into fierce, as a result of you aren’t the one one. That’s proper, there’s a host of different like-minded guys doing the very same factor: getting some fast cash and a quick thrill from flipping an outdated Nascar shirt or Carhartt jacket.
At one of many largest flea markets within the nation, Brimfield in Western Massachusetts, these IKEA Bag Boys have turn into one thing of a legend lately. The fields at Brimfield have completely different opening dates and occasions, some with chainlink fences guarding the entrances till the large present reveal second. Guess who’s lining up on the fence on the morning time for opening day? That’s proper, it’s these spry fellows of their twenties and thirties with their trademark blue IKEA baggage slung over their shoulders, able to race down the filth paths to supply up the best (and least expensive) classic clothes to resell.
I’ve heard comparable tales from different native clothes resale and thrift retailers which have month-to-month or quarterly “by the pound” days, the place buyers pay a set quantity per pound of classic garments. The IKEA Bag Boys hunt down these particular gross sales and line up early for them, similar to music lovers used to sleep exterior in a single day to purchase coveted Bruce Springsteen live performance tickets launched very first thing within the morning.
The Coronary heart & Soul of the IKEA Bag Boys
As for my private expertise with IKEA Bag Boys, I’ll let you know that each single certainly one of them I’ve met has a rock-solid coronary heart and soul. Possibly there are some soiled rotten scoundrels with their blue baggage on the market someplace, however I haven’t met them but. The vast majority of them are simply hustling, and various of them have households or a particular member of the family they’re attempting to assist with just a few additional facet bucks.
I’m involved, nevertheless, that the classic clothes resale enterprise is a bubble quick on its solution to bursting. Within the classic and vintage enterprise, certainly one of my mottos has at all times been “diversify, diversify, diversify.” So, in case you are an IKEA Bag Boy, now’s the time to open your eyes and thoughts to seeing and searching for different merch to flip.
Don’t simply hightail it to the closets at that property sale, take a second to saunter into the eating room as properly to see in the event you can snatch up some mid-century barware or as much as the master suite to sift via the costume jewellery to search out these elusive non-costume treasures. There will certainly be room in these big IKEA baggage for a few contemporary, non-clothing finds to flip!
Amy Moyer is the proprietor of Antmuffin: Artwork, Antiques & Collectibles. She holds a B.A. in Visible Arts from Brown College and lives in Boston.
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