Woodbury family opens thrift store in Little Canada

While looking for a way to help themselves in a tough economy, a Woodbury family got started into a new venture to help others save money, too.

Their motto: Reuse, repurpose and restyle.

Phil and Teresa Tateosian opened Planet Thrift last month with the help of their two daughters Lauren and Rachel, who attend New Life Academy.

A handful of other New Life Academy students also helped set up the new and gently used goods boutique located in Little Canada.

Phil Tateosian, a real estate broker, said he was getting frustrated with the industry and started looking for different ways to make a living.

With a sluggish economy, some families are forced to get by on one salary, he said.

“We thought of a way to hit two birds with one stone by offering affordable prices,” Phil Tateosian said, adding that families are always looking for a good bargain on clothing and furnishings.

“As we started doing research for it, we started seeing that the thrift store industry is growing rapidly,” he said.

The Tateosians looked for good spots with similar stores around so they could attract the thrift store shopper.

The Little Canada store, located at 3225 Country Drive, is a 4,000 square-foot space that houses everything from home décor and furnishings to clothing and shoes.

“One thrift store shopper would go to another thrift store if they’re close by,” Teresa Tateosian said.

Planet Thrift received donations over the summer from Woodbury families and other area residents, she said.

She added that most of the things in the store are gently used and well organized, which is what sets Planet Thrift apart from other thrift stores.

Items that don’t sell are then re-donated to other nonprofit organizations to keep the place fresh.

“We don t put everything out, we re-donate,” Phil Tateosian said. “We just try to pick the nicest things to put on the floor. We had a lot of people think it’s brand new stuff.

“We just really try to make it a nicer experience for people.”

The family got the word out about Planet Thrift starting with New Life Academy, which resulted in recruiting a few students who were eager to help set up the store and keep things out of landfills.

The students helped sort, price, tag and set everything up in the store.

“They had various jobs, we kept them busy,” Teresa Tateosian said.

Planet Thrift is open from10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

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