(upbeat instrumental music) - Will you consider this?

You gotta think pink, right?

You gotta think pink.

And one day in Peoria, probably before this young lady was born, there was a Think Pink Day, and she has been thinking pink for a long time now.

- Uh-huh.

- Jade Reddick is the owner and proprietor of Pink Blossom Thrift.

- Yes.

- Inc.

Okay, well tell me, let's hear a little bit about Jade Reddick.

You grew up in Peoria?

- Yes.

- Okay.

And where did you grow up?

- So, I grew up on the south side of Peoria, born and raised in that area.

I went to Peoria High School for high school.

And once I graduated from Peoria High, I graduated from Illinois State, um, University.

- And what did you major in there?

- I majored in sociology there.

- Okay.

Well that sounds like you were thinking pink, - Yeah.

(laughs) - from the beginning.

What made you decide on sociology?

- I wanted to learn more about how people and how things work in the community, and I feel like sociology was a way that I could also learn how to better help the community that I live in.

- Okay, yeah, in terms of just behaviors and because there's so many behaviors.

- Yes.

- So, it's coping mechanism too.

- Yes.

Yes.

- So, okay, you graduated with a bachelor's in sociology, - Mm-hmm.

- and then what did you do?

- And then after that I started working at Methodist, which is now called Carl, I believe.

- Mm-hmm.

- And I worked on a behavioral health unit with the child and adolescents unit that's there.

And then like a little after that I started working for companies such as Epic and Didi Homes, and I started working with people who have like intellectual disabilities.

And then a little after that I got certified as a career coach.

And then recently I got a master's in Psychology.

Yeah.

(laughs) - You are something.

So, where did you get the master's?

- Capella University.

So, I got the master's.

- Okay, all right, and what made you decide to do that?

This is again, a behavior kind of thing.

- Mm-hmm, just wanted to, I kind of dived in more into learning about behaviors and diagnosis that people have and things like that.

I was really interested in that.

And then just a way to, you know, finding out how I can help more kind of in a clinical setting.

I worked for Molina Healthcare for about five years.

That kind of what got me a little more interested because I was starting to see patients and things like that.

So, I wanted to go in a little more in education in that area, yeah.

- Mm-hmm all right.

And the, well, and then in the meantime you got married and had children?

- Yes.

(laughs) - Okay.

- And you have a couple of boys?

- Yes, I have two boys, ages three and six.

- All right.

- Yeah.

- [Christine] And that counts, that's a lot of work.

- Oh yeah, a lot of work.

(laughs) - So, you have this degree in sociology and a master's in psychology, and then you get this wild bug that, um, (Jade laughs) that you're a thrifter.

(Jade laughs) And what did you do?

Tell me about your thrifting days just to begin with.

- So, I always thrift with my mom like on Saturdays and I would come back home every like Saturday we would go out and, you know, go to the thrift stores like Church Miles, Goodwill, I mean South Side Mission, Salvation Army, all those places.

And I really enjoyed doing that.

Right after high school I actually started working for a Salvation Army thrift store that we had here as a family thrift store.

And I loved doing that.

So, somehow I got back into the thrift world, (Christine laughs) but it's just something I just enjoy doing.

But also I seen how the economy was turning and how like high the prices are these days.

So, I wanted to create a space where the prices are affordable, where anyone, you know, can come in and find things that they need.

- You did that about a year ago, you started it?

- Yes, so- - Was that on Sheridan at the time?

Okay.

- Yeah, so, we opened on Sheridan, it was right next to Dairy Queen in a little plaza that was there.

And our first day opened was May 25th of last year.

- Okay.

- Yeah.

- But then you moved, you needed a bigger space, or?

- So, the building was sold to like an outside investor and the price was a little pricey, like out of our like kind of price range that we could go for.

So, we moved outta that building and found another building that was more accountable for us.

- Okay.

- Mm-hmm.

- And so that is just right over on University now.

So, what does the store major in?

Everything?

- Yeah.

So, the store, it's a thrift store.

We pretty much have everything.

We have women's, men's, boys, girls, kids, clothes, home good items.

And then we also supply resources.

When you go to the back of the store, you'll see we have two computer stations set up.

The computers are free of charge for people to come in and use as well as printing.

And in that area we also help with job application assistance and things like that.

- Mm-hmm?

- Mm-hmm.

- Now.

So, did that stem from your degrees that you knew that people needed those resources and you knew that you could help them in some way?

- Yeah, yeah, so, I knew like that was a area I was qualified in.

So, I wanted to just add that in to kind of help eliminate barriers to employment for some people that need that extra support.

- And that wasn't part of your business plan or did you have a business plan to begin with?

Or this was just, - Yeah, it was kind of a, - it was fun?

- it was a part of it.

'Cause like the, the plan was kind of like always there, like in the back of my mind.

And then last year I was like, okay, I am just gonna do it and just put it all together.

(chuckles) Yeah.

- Mm-hmm.

And it's been fun and successful so far?

- Yeah, yeah, it's been a lot of fun and I've met a lot of amazing people.

I got a lot of support from the community who, people that, you know, come in and donate things.

So, it's been a journey, but I'm enjoying it, yeah.

- Well, what did your husband think of this wild hair that you had that you said, I gotta do this?

- [Jade] He thought I was probably like crazy.

(laughs) I thought of it.

- Okay.

- He was like, "How are you gonna do that, and you're doing all this other stuff."

I'm like, "I'll figure it out."

- Right.

- (laughs) Yes.

- [Christine] (coughs) Excuse me.

So, and this is Pink Blossom because pink is your favorite color.

- Yeah.

- So, you went crazy?

- Pink?

- Yeah.

(laughs) Yes.

So, pink is my favorite color, but I also feel like pink is kind of like an example of like being like a light.

It's bright, it's like a bright color.

And I thought of blossom because of when people come inside of the store, I want, you know, it to feel like a place where they can like bloom and get the things, you know, that they need to grow as a person.

- Mm-hmm.

- Yeah.

- And so you do, where do you get all the stuff?

Mostly donations or do you do any thrifting yourself and then resell?

- Yeah, so it is mostly all donations.

I will do some thrifting if I find like higher end items and I will buy them and resell them in the store.

Yeah.

- Okay.

And is that fun?

Is that, I mean... - Yeah, that's a lot of fun.

- You go- Yeah.

- (laughs) Yes.

- [Christine] You're really on a mission then.

- Yes, yes, and I utilize Poshmark a lot too, so we have a Poshmark page, and I do buy some things off of there and put 'em in the store as well.

Yeah.

- Mm-hmm.

So, this has really been a learning experience as well.

I mean, thrifting was fun for you and everything, but now it really is a big challenge.

- Yeah, yes.

(laughs) - All right.

Now you are a good Christian woman.

- Yes.

- From what I understand.

And how has that inspired you, along with your degrees, to carry out this mission?

- So, that's truly like the base and like the root of everything.

I truly feel like God gave me like that vision, 'cause I'm like, what I doing here?

You know, like it was something that just like came out of nowhere almost, I guess something I love to do.

But He kind of like showed me like, you know, this is something that's needed and I just wanted Him to like use me as a vessel.

So, I'm really just following Him.

(laughs) Yes.

- Which is beautiful.

And then, so, and when I talked to you on the phone the other day, I said, "So, you're a 501C3.

Tell me about that.

How did you establish that?"

- Yeah, so I just signed up, I went and put the information about like what we were doing for the community, and the 501C3 was approved pretty much instantly, yes.

- Yeah.

No hoops to jump through - No.

- to get that accomplished.

- No, nope, no hoops, yeah.

- What has been the most, excuse me, what has been the most challenging thing that you have faced in getting this all together and getting it all done?

- I am, I think the funding is probably the most challenging, like keeping funding, and getting like monetary donations to kind of help run the store and the resource center.

So, pretty much me and my husband pretty much fund most of the store, - And what does he do?

- since last year.

He works as a manager for a USC leader store.

- Okay.

- Yes, mm-hmm.

- All right, what has been some of the weirdest stuff you've gotten donated?

(Christine laughs) - Oh.

(laughs) - Some of the weirdest things I got donated.

Hmm.

I get a lot of donations.

- [Christine] Okay.

Let's start with the coolest stuff.

- Okay.

(chuckles) - All right, how's that?

Well, the stuff that comes with the tag still on it.

- Oh yeah, so that's my favorite stuff with the, (laughs) the tags, - Oh.

(laughs) - that's still on it.

Probably like different pictures and like puzzles, and things that people donate, I think is really cool.

Things that we get in.

Home good items, I feel like we find a lot of cute things that we get in that's interested.

Someone donated a Polaroid camera.

It was like a really old one.

I was like, that was like really cool.

Yeah, yes.

- Yeah, an antique.

Yeah, yeah.

- Yeah.

(chuckles) - Wow, and then do you seek donations, right?

Do you do any advertising for donations or people just in the thrifting world, they get the word of mouth, and they come to see you?

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

They just get and they just drop 'em off.

I get a lot of messages on our website and Facebook saying, "Hey, do you take donations?"

They're like, trying to get rid of things.

I was like, "Yeah, of course."

And they just come in and drop 'em off, like daily we get donations, which is really nice, yeah.

- All right.

- And now I know that you have a website, - Mm-hmm.

- Pink Blossom Thrift.

- Yes, - Capital Pink, Capital Blossom, Capital Thrift, right?

- Mm-hmm.

And then, (clicks tongue) and then you have a presence on Facebook because you're that generation, and all that stuff goes on.

- Yes.

(laughs) - Well, who maintains that site?

Is that all you also?

- Yes, that's me as well.

And then I have a few family members that come in and help.

They help with the website as well, just making sure that we're answering people in a timely manner if I can't get to it, yeah.

- Yeah, yeah.

And so people also have estate sales or they go to estate sales and then they go, - Mm-hmm.

- "Well, you know, I don't need this anymore," or whatever.

- Yeah.

- So, you get some of your donations that way as well?

- Yeah, yeah, I do.

- Do you keep an eye out for that in, you know, in obtaining some extra things on your own?

- Sometimes if I went to one estate show that was like down the street from the house, I was looking around for things that could go in the store.

So, if I see them, like I'll go in and browse.

Yeah, mm-hmm.

- Mm.

Now, did you have any kind of training in retail, in making displays or anything like that?

- No, none at all.

I worked in retail, you know, as a teenager.

Like I worked at Claire's, I was a manager there.

Like, I think I was like 17, - Okay.

- when I was working there.

So, I guess in my high school years working in retail, I got that little experience, but not any major experience in retail.

- Now, so, of any of the donated items that you get are there any specific things you don't want?

Probably big electronics or something like that, old refrigerators, - Yeah.

- or stuff?

- So, we can't take like large furniture or like big electronics or any like appliances because we're in such a small space.

Yeah.

- Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

But it's fun.

So, you have kids things, you have men's things, women's things, - Mm-hmm.

- you have things for old people?

- Yep.

Yeah.

I have things for everyone.

- Okay.

(Jade laughs) (chuckles) That's good.

And it's exciting to, when people drop off the boxes, to see what you go through and?

- Yeah, yeah.

It's really exciting.

And one thing I like about our store is like when we get the items, we take them and we, you know, wash each item before placing them back in the store and put 'em on display.

- Mm-hmm.

- Mm-hmm.

- Now, any of the castoffs, what do you do with those?

Do you redonate 'em sometimes?

- Yeah.

So, anything we can't use, we give those items away for free.

We do a lot of free days where on Saturdays we'll just put out everything that we have for free and people come and take them.

Mm-hmm.

- And that's kind of fun too?

- Yeah.

That's a lot of fun.

Yeah.

- And you have a lot of regulars then that come?

- Yes, I do.

I do.

I really, really love my regular customers that come in.

- So, that's like, that's part of the thrifting world.

- Yeah, yeah, meeting people, - Mm-hmm.

- you know, that's in the community and just seeing them come to the store, you know, every week just makes me really happy.

- So, then in the back area that you said that you have some, you're a career coach as well?

- Mm-hmm.

- So, how do you do that?

How do you manage that?

- So, mostly that's by appointment only.

So, they, on the website you could put your application in.

Well, it's like a brief form that you put in, and then you pick a time, and then well you book like a section, and I pretty much take their like form from there.

Yeah.

- Okay.

And then you make sure that you have somebody else to manage the store when you're kind of doing that.

- Yes, yes.

And most of the time it's like in the morning that I have the appointment before the store opens.

- Okay.

- Yeah.

- [Christine] Now what are the hours at the store?

- From 11 to six.

- 11 to six?

- Mm-hmm.

- [Christine] And that's Monday through Saturday, or no?

- Tuesday through Saturday.

Tuesday through Saturday.

- Yeah.

- Okay.

- Mm-hmm.

- Okay, we're taping this on a Monday because you had the day off.

- Yep.

(laughs) - Okay.

- Well, that's good, that's good.

What do you do in your downtime?

Or do you just keep thinking I gotta find more, I gotta find more, I gotta- - Well, in my downtime is I'm really with my boys, with my family, doing fun things with them.

Is summertime, so they wanna go swimming, they wanna go to the zoo.

So, any downtime that I get, like all of that time really pretty much goes to them.

Yeah.

- And that is a true blessing in itself?

- Yes, yes it is.

- Good, now do they come and help out at the store?

I bet they're a big help.

- Oh yeah, they do.

I'm not sure about how much they help, but, (laughs) but, (Christine laughs) but they're there.

- So, you have toys and things too?

- Yes, yes.

So, they'll come in and they'll play where the toys are at.

So, I have to go back and clean up after them before someone comes in.

- Yeah, exactly.

(Jade laughs) Now is there anything that has been, or well maybe with all items, do you go online and with some things that you don't know exactly what the value is?

Have you found anything that's like, oh boy, this could be like assigned something or another?

- Oh yeah, I utilize AI a lot with pricing, some things that are higher value.

- Mm-hmm, all right.

- Yeah.

- And how difficult is that to figure it out?

- It's pretty easy.

I just, I take a picture of it and I upload it and it tell me how much it's worth and how much I should sell it for.

- Oh my gosh.

(Jade laughs) See I am such a techno whiz, I'll tell you.

It's like, yeah, that would be way too hard for me.

(Jade laughs) What has been the most challenging thing for you in doing all this?

Was it the move from the one place to the other?

Or, just, I mean it was incubating in your mind for a long time, but what's been your biggest challenge?

- I think the biggest challenge probably was the move.

There was a lot of things that happened with the move.

Like at one point, like the roof like fell in, into our store.

- [Christine] Into the new store?

- The old location.

- Oh, the old one.

- The old location.

So, we were closed for a couple months until, you know, it got renovated, and that kind of put a dent, you know, in the company.

- [Christine] Right, in your forward progress, I- - Yes, yeah.

- Yeah.

- So, it kind of like put a lot of pause on our progress.

And then after that, you know, the building was sold and then had to move.

So, hopefully no more hiccups.

- Right, exactly, exactly.

- So, yes.

(laughs) - So, you were able to collect a lot of things and you get toys, books, also, or?

- Yes, we get books.

That's one thing I love getting is the books that we get in.

I do enjoy reading, but the books are free.

The children books and adult books, they're always free.

- So, you're like your own little free library.

- Mm-hmm, yeah.

(laughs) - Yeah.

Well, that's good.

That's nice.

And you look forward to that?

- Yes.

- And do people come from all over?

So, they've heard about these professional thrifters, I guess?

- Uh-huh.

- So, they come from all over.

Do you know who has come from the farthest to the shop so far?

- Yeah, I believe someone's like a hour away, - Okay.

- that came.

I don't remember what town it was, but they told me like, "Oh, it took me like an hour to get here."

And I guess they found us on Facebook.

Yeah.

(chuckles) - Oh, 'cause that's how people do things today.

- Yeah, yeah.

- Yeah, yeah.

Well, do you look forward to expanding at any time?

Or is it too early to figure that out?

- It's probably a little too early, but I, hopefully, I would like to expand and get a bigger space so we can reach more people, yeah.

- You know, what is your square footage?

Or do you know?

- It's, I believe it's like 950 square feet.

- Okay.

- So, it's not that big.

Yeah.

- Yeah, and what about all the display cases and things like that?

Where did you, did you have to thrift to find those things too?

- I did.

- Did you really?

- Yes, yeah.

(Christine chuckles) I got a lot of help with that.

I found some on Facebook.

I have friends that live in Chicago, they found some and drove some racks like down here for me.

So, anytime I seen like anything posted about some like display items, I go pick 'em up.

A couple businesses were closed and they were like selling their display items.

I picked those up, yeah.

- Okay.

- So, it was kind of thrifting to get all the things that were needed for the store.

- Yeah, yeah.

- Yeah.

- So, how much actual shopping do you do in your own store when stuff comes in?

I mean, you, you know?

- I know.

- Finders keepers.

- I know, I know.

(Christine laughs) But my husband told me I'm not allowed to bring anything home, - Okay.

(chuckles) - from the store.

(laughs) - He's like, - Even for- - "Don't bring anything."

Yeah, he was like, "Don't bring anything back home."

I'm like, "Okay, fine."

'cause he think I would just bring, you know, shop all the time at the store.

- Right.

- So, yeah, I tried not to.

I try to keep it there at the store for everyone.

Yeah.

(Christine chuckles) And then I go out somewhere else and thrift another place.

Yes.

- Okay.

Well.

So, like for your household goods and things, so mostly decorative things or are there practical small appliances and things like that too?

- Yeah, there's like little decorative things, like coffee mugs, and vases, picture frames, wall decor, just, there's a lot of cute things that you'll wanna place in your house.

We also have a vendor that's in there that's called Shea's Shed, and she has like home decor, like vintage pieces that she makes.

So, it's a really cute setup in the back.

I think that's like my favorite part of the store, is looking at all the cute home decor stuff that's back there.

- Did she find, did she reach out to you?

Did you reach out to her?

- Well- - How'd that come about?

- So, we went to the same church and she seen that I opened Pink Blossom and she was a vendor at another location and I guess her contract was up, and she was like, "Hey, like I'm doing this."

- "I need a home."

- Yeah.

I was like, "Come on, come here."

- So, that was - Yes.

- a Holy Spirit thing that came you out.

- Yes.

- Which is nice.

- Yes, it was, yeah.

- Okay.

- So, she's there and I really love all her pieces that she has.

- Oh, good.

- Yeah.

- Now and you haven't taken any of those home?

- I have.

- Okay.

- I have taken some of her stuff home.

- It's one thing - Yes.

that you're allowed to do.

(Jade laughs) - Okay.

- Yes.

- Well, that's good.

(Jade laughs) Well it sounds like you're just having so much fun.

So, any challenges that you foresee?

I mean, so you did this all after the pandemic.

- Mm-hmm.

- Is there gonna be any kind of a problem in the future if something like that rears its ugly head?

- So, I'm kind of prepared if that ever happens, since we do have like the online platform, pretty much, I probably upload most things to our online platform if anything like that happens.

But hopefully it's smooth sailing (chuckles) from here, - Yeah.

- with all the challenges that we have faced before.

Yes.

- Yeah.

Good.

And then, so bucket list, you'd like to expand to a bigger store, which would mean that you'd have to get some employees.

- Yes.

- And, but you don't have any five-year plan or anything like that yet?

- So, I would say my five-year plan is to first get more volunteers.

'Cause you know, we do need that support with help, helping, putting clothes out, washing the clothes, you know, helping customers greetings and things like that.

- So, you take the clothes home yourself, - So, yeah.

- to do it or you- - So, we take them like to a laundromat and wash them there.

- Right.

- And then we bring 'em back to the store and then that's where we like photo 'em and put 'em away and things like that.

- Okay, all right, all right.

- Yeah, mm-hmm.

And my mom mostly helps me with those things.

Yes.

- Okay.

And she's right there with you because, - Oh, yeah.

- she's the one who got you into the thrifting business - Yeah.

- in the first place.

- Yeah.

Yes.

- Well, that's fun.

- Yes.

She's there.

- Good.

- But another thing, a part of the plan, so, yeah, the first thing is to get more volunteers, maybe more funding so that we can be more of a support to people who need, you know, additional resources with job placement, and then to later, you know, get more employees so that, you know, we can expand to a bigger store.

I would like to help with like the employee rate that's here in Peoria.

So, like, you know, expanding and getting employees would be an amazing thing.

Would be a blessing.

Yes.

- Well, the fact that you are looking out for people who need that kind of help.

They need the access to what you have to offer.

- Yeah.

- And it's so nice, and there's no charge for that.

- Yeah.

- They get to come, and even for the career coaching, no charge?

- Yeah, no charge.

Yes.

- Yeah, well- - Just have to make an appointment.

(laughs) Yes.

- Oh, yeah, oh, yeah.

- And that's a must, right?

- Yeah.

Yes.

(Jade laughs) - Yeah, exactly.

Okay, so now, and then your husband will be all the way on board as long as you don't bring anything home.

- Yep.

(laughs) - Okay, but what about the kids when they come and they see some special toys?

I mean.

(clicks tongue) Yeah.

- Yeah, sometimes I purchase some things for the kids.

If they see a toy that they just have to have, I'm like, okay.

And then we donate toys that they have, - Right, right.

- in back to the store, - I have a friend whose husband is really good about that.

It's, if he goes out and buys two shirts, two shirts come out of his closet.

- Yep.

- That's kind of how we are.

- Yeah, see, I'm not that disciplined.

- (laughs) Yes.

- But, and that's how you are at your house, - Yes.

- yourself, oh.

- Yes, so, we donate a lot of things from our house as well.

Like my husband hates like any clutter, so like anything he finds, he's like, I see him with like a box or a bin by the door.

Like, okay, take this to the store.

- This is outta here.

- Yes.

(laughs) - [Christine] Well, and that takes a lot of discipline.

- Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

- I'm not quite there and it's, you know, I get rid of stuff all the time, and then how do I end up with so much stuff?

- Yes.

Yeah, he helps me for sure.

(Jade laughs) - Good, good, good, good.

And so, okay, well it sounds like you're on your way to do some more wonderful things, and it sounds like you have the good Lord in your corner.

- Yes.

- And you have Him to thank for a lot that's going on.

- Oh yeah, definitely.

He's the reason for everything truly.

- I know that on your website, you have given a lot of the praise to Him for helping you out.

- Yes, yes.

- And you even quote scripture.

- Yes, yeah, and then in the store also, if you go through like the racks, you'll see like little scriptures that's there for people to see, and- - That you've added.

- Yeah.

I've added them.

- Okay.

- Some of my favorite scriptures that I've seen, I've written 'em down and, you know, put 'em up there for them to see.

And a lot of customers ask like, "Oh," they'll take a picture of like, "Oh, I have to go check this out and see what this means."

- All right.

- Or, you know, I think that's really cool to see that.

So, it's kind of a way of spreading His Word without like pushing it, you know, too much.

- Right.

- You know, on the customer - Right.

- that's there.

- And what was your inspiration for that, just because?

- Yeah, well, I do devotions every day, - Mm-hmm.

- and honestly, that kind of keep me motivated and uplifted, and I'm like, if this helps me, then maybe it help someone else.

So, like the scriptures that, you know, I've seen that I've found to be like some of my favorites, I put that there for them too.

- You really are something else you know that, right?

- Oh.

(laughs) - Right, and you're how old?

- Thanks.

- Let's see, you graduated from high school in 2011.

- 2011, yeah.

So, man.

- Yeah.

(laughs) - You've done a lot in a short amount of time.

- Thank you.

- Okay, so Pink Blossom Thrift on North University?

- Yes.

- Okay.

And it's close to Fred's?

- Yes.

- So, it's right at University and Forest too.

- Yeah, yeah.

- Okay.

And parking is a little bit in the front and the back, or?

- So, mainly in the front, and then there's some parking on the side too.

- Yeah, mm-hmm.

- Okay, all right, good.

- Well, keep it going, yeah.

(Jade laughs) And I hope that a lot of people will be clearing out stuff.

- Yes.

(laughs) (Christine laughs) And you are an inspiration, so thank you so much, - Thank you.

- for sharing and I'm glad that pink's your favorite color because you gotta think pink.

- You do.

(laughs) Yeah.

- Okay.

- Thank you so much.

- All right.

And thank you all so much.

Keep thinking pink and in the meantime, be well.

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