Imagine a secondhand, sustainable shop where every item is a gem and minimal hunting is required. That’s the exact vibe Haley Miller was going for when putting together the first storefront for her thrifty business, Good Choices Co., which soft-opened at 3115 Government St. last Saturday, Feb. 8.
Good Choices Co.’s new home in the former The Hope Shop contains a curated selection of dresses, shirts, jackets, pants and accessories. Miller stocks her shop with vintage pieces and gently used newer items she scores on her hunts through thrift stores and estate sales.
Her goal is to provide an accessible and sustainable shopping option for locals.
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“The power of our choices usually affects the most vulnerable,” she says. “We have the privilege to be able to shop at a billion different options. Most of those options, especially fast fashion, end up being textile waste or being used once or twice and then donated. You want to invest in quality items that will last the test of time because if not, it’s just gonna get donated. Nobody’s going to want it, and it’ll end up in third-world countries. We want to help stop that cycle.”
Customers can follow bubblegum pink flooring to different displays around the store. It’s organized by item with a few racks suited to the current season. Along with Miller’s picks, there’s also a rack of secondhand items for men from other local vendors like Thrift Don’t Waste and Mid City Racks. Think: vintage graphic tees, denim and polos.
“My inventory changes over almost every week, 50 to 100 new items,” Miller says. “So it’s like a brand-new store every week.”
The store also pays homage to the previous tenant with a corner display full of products from The Hope Shop. Before finding the Government Street storefront, Miller hosted pop-ups and fill-a-bag sales from her home. Miller wanted to be in Mid City and had even worked for The Hope Shop’s nonprofit, Hands Producing Hope. So when the space became available, she knew it was meant to be.
Though the shop was completely built out, Miller added her own flair to the space, hence those hot-pink floors. Racks were added to the walls, so Miller could display as much as possible while still providing an easy shopping experience. In the back, two dressing rooms were added with sage velvet curtains for privacy. Vintage tapestries and hangers decorate the walls.
“I think it’s so important for people to feel the items, be able to try them on and have access to curated, sustainable fashion because a lot of people don’t like digging in the thrift stores, which I can totally understand,” Miller says. “This takes a long time and a lot of effort. So I always wanted to provide a more accessible way to shop.”
When sourcing for Good Choices Co., Miller says she’s almost never hunting for certain brands. She gravitates toward textures and patterns, and loves a good statement piece or anything that’s “grandma chic.” And she looks for practical basics to balance it all out. Above all else, Miller is looking for quality pieces that will last through their next life cycle with the customer who pulls it from the rack.
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Miller first fell in love with thrifting by dumpster diving with her dad. That then evolved into a love for thrift store shopping in high school, which turned into a side gig because she couldn’t say no to a good find. Eventually, her closet got too stuffed with thrift store goodies, so she turned to social media to share the wealth. Good Choices Co. launched in 2020 under its former name, 225 Thrift.
“If you can imagine, most of the stuff was in my house for just years,” Miller says. “I love thrifting. That’s my favorite part of it. I love shopping— the thrill of the hunt. So I had a lot of this stuff crammed in my house, and then I got a storage unit. And then once I figured out I was signing this lease, I was thrifting or going to an estate like three times a week, just trying to build up my inventory and have really great, quality pieces.”
Good Choices Co. will be open Saturdays in February, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Miller hopes to be open Thursday-Sunday in March and is also looking to host a grand opening event that month. Follow Good Choices Co. on Instagram to stay up to date on hours and information.