By Maria Doty

5 Reasons To Shop Secondhand

5 Reasons To Shop Secondhand

Dec 10, 2019 | 1:47 AM

NANAIMO – One and done? Not in today’s world. Thanks to DIY blogs, Pinterest, and the creative spirit of passionate crafters and artisans across the Island, prolonging the life of an item by purchasing it second hand, or re-purposing that item entirely for an art or craft project is easier than ever, and it’s better for the environment, too!

1. Shop L-O-C-A-L

More often than not, when you’re purchasing an item secondhand, you’re buying it from a local Nanaimo source, like a family owned business. This can be a warm, fuzzy ‘feel good’ moment for you as a shopper, because you KNOW your hard earned money is going to support that Nanaimo family, and usually stays within the local economy to pay for things like dance lessons, soccer registration, and other goods and services in the community – not lining the pockets of a multinational corporation.

2. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle

It’s pretty simple. If you buy something secondhand, you are prolonging the life cycle of that item. That means that you’re directly responsible for keeping it out of the landfill, at least for a little while longer! Also, by buying secondhand, you’re helping to decrease demand on new retail items, which can influence how much new stuff companies produce for profit.

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3. Save Money

Real talk. We love to save money and we love getting a great deal.
Used goods just cost less. Period. So not only are you helping the environment for the reasons we’ve mentioned above, you’re going to pay less for secondhand items. And the best part is you still get to go shopping, you’ll just feel better about it! Win win!

4. Find Unique, Rare, Collectible Items

When you start browsing at a second hand store you truly never know what you’ll find.
There are tons of stories about people finding rare and collectible items at places like pawn shops, or other second hand shops and markets. Part of the fun is discovering where an item came from and what mysteries it might hold. You could end up with something super cool and valuable.

Timepiece Nanaimo – Nicol Street Pawnbrokers

5. Sell & Trade

Most second hand stores offer a variety of options to sell or trade in merchandise. Many people like to go through and sell their unwanted items to not only clean up their home and save space, but to make some cash! You can also trade in items towards other items you may need. You can’t typically do that when you’re buying new items from a traditional retail store.

Good for you. Good for the planet.

If you’re looking to help save the planet, save some money, and have a heck of a good time shopping and discovering unique items, plan a trip to Nicol Street Pawnbrokers. They carry all kinds of cool stuff, from tools to musical instruments, electronics, antique pieces, jewelry and much more. They’re a local family run business and have been in Nanaimo for over 25 years. Learn more at Nicol Street Pawnbrokers.