The Aspen Thrift Shop first opened in 1949 with a rather eclectic inventory, a slinky nightgown, a pair of high heels, and a broken string of beads among the selection. Founder Bob Marsh had set up shop in an office across from City Hall, run by a cohort of volunteer women, and they’d accept “practically anything” to raise funds for the old Pitkin County hospital, according to a newspaper clipping.
But its first sale wasn’t even on the market, really: One customer purchased the shirt off Marsh’s back, kicking off a 75-year legacy of treasure hunting and clever finds that still continues today.
Now, more than $1 million in annual revenue supports 100-plus nonprofits, as well as some college scholarships. The “Ladies of the Aspen Thrift Shop” now have roughly 200 female volunteers among their ranks helping with inventory, sales and grants; there are no men on the official roster. Despite a few location changes, its very essence has remained the same, according to co-president Shauna Young.
“If there is an old Aspen, I think the heart lives in the Aspen Thrift Shop,” Young said. “It really is the same concept of giving back to the community, reusing things, giving grants to support nonprofits in the valley.”
Young’s own mother was once president of the thrift shop too,
and she appreciates seeing new generations share in the excitement — often recruiting volunteers like Tracy Richmond, who moved to the valley about six years ago.
Richmond “fell in love” with the shop after Young encouraged her to check it out, and she’s now three years into her own volunteer tenure. She believes the shop embodies a genuine sense of community and vitality — Aspen, the way it was meant to be.
“It just enables the charm of what Aspen was trying to be to remain,” Richmond said.
“It's the past, it's the present, it's the future,” she added. “And it's just a great system, and it takes everybody to make it that way.”
The Aspen Thrift Shop will celebrate its 75th anniversary with a community party this Saturday; there’s a discounted art sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., while the shop is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
