The future of thrifting has arrived: a thrift boutique. Sifting through the dirty bins at some second-hand stores, thumbing through racks trying to find good clothes in a sea of bad ones, looking at jewelry only to be disappointed by your findings. Thrifting is one of the best ways to get clothing that is both cheap and stylish, but it can be hard to feel comfortable doing it. Lauryn Schneider, the owner of Gatherings Collective, aims to fix this problem. According to her website, “Gatherings Collective began in 2021 with the mission of combining the convenience and fun of online shopping, the sustainability and affordability of thrift shopping, and the experience and service of boutique shopping for a unique, one-of-a-kind customer shopping experience.” She brings in thrifted clothes and puts them in a boutique environment, making the experience of thrifting much more enjoyable. She also finds vintage goods and puts them into her store to find them a good home.
Schneider started out knowing she was going to go into fashion, but had no idea what career she was going into. “I knew I wanted to go into fashion but I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and I just started to get really into sustainability and started to get really involved in the local business community in Fargo,” she said. Thrifting has always been a big part of Schneider’s life, her mom and grandma being a big part of that. All of her clothes are sourced from thrift stores or donated by other customers, and all are priced fairly and affordably. She also showcases many products from small businesses in her store, then pays those businesses as products sell; or buys them off of them at a flat rate.. These things all together make Gatherings Collective an amazing addition to Downtown Fargo.
Downtown Fargo is an area where people come to shop and eat, or simply put, gather. Schneider said this is one of the reasons behind her store’s name, the idea of a community gathering together. “I am really passionate about community, especially the Downtown Fargo community. I just joined it and I fell in love with it. I think as humans we gather together over things that we love with people we love, and that word, gather, just kinda stuck with me as a meaningful word to describe what I was trying to accomplish.”
Although starting a business is difficult, Schneider’s advice would be to just do it. She started by creating a business in school and then continuing it by creating a website after she graduated. It was a slow process, but she never gave up. Her business model is to prioritize making connections over making sales in order to make thrifting a more enjoyable experience, as well as begin the process of sustainability in Fargo.
Schneider has an incredible vision for sustainable and comfortable shopping , and her passion is truly beautiful to see. The calming aura of the Gathering Collective shop brings a joy to thrifting that wasn’t there before. “After I graduated I continued to have this idea of a thrift store with boutique style shopping, on a whim dove head first, started a website, hung up a backdrop in my room, took a few photos and posted them on my website, and posted the website on my facebook” Schneider’s business started with a leap of faith, and has turned into an amazing place in Downtown Fargo. “I think as humans we gather together over things that we love, with people we love, and that word ‘gather’ just kinda stuck with me as a meaningful word to describe what I was trying to accomplish”.