This is a Social Experiment: People over Profit.

This blog is intended to educate. A big part of being an educator—at least for me—is being transparent about who you are and what you stand for.

I am a deeply principled person. I was born this way. There is no gray area in my mind when it comes to exploitation—whether social, ecological, or economic. I believe in justice. I believe in sustainability. And I believe that everything we do—including how we price goods—should reflect those values.

So, what does that look like in practice?

Yesterday was another wonderful day at Academy St. Thrift. A human with a big, beautiful personality came through the door and totally made my day. They were lively, kind, and full of good energy. But they also echoed a comment I’ve now heard 5… maybe 10 times since we opened on May 1st:

“Your prices are so cheap—you have to raise them!”

And honestly? Every time I hear that word—cheap—I flinch a little.

Why “Cheap” Isn’t the Right Word

Let’s be clear: our prices are not cheap. They are thoughtful.

“Cheap” implies something careless. Rushed. Disconnected. “Cheap” is what fast fashion offers—garments made through exploitative labor practices and environmental harm, marked up to disguise the true cost. That’s not what we’re doing here.

At Academy St., our pricing is intentional.It’s grounded in the belief that everyone deserves access to dignity, beauty, and self-expression—regardless of income.

We factor in:

• The cost of overhead (rent, electricity, insurance, sourcing)

• The value of curation and garment research

• The importance of affordability for our community

• And yes—sustainability as a practice of reciprocity, not greed

We’re not pricing things “low” because we undervalue them.We’re pricing them accessibly because we value people.

To Be Clear...

Our prices are only seemingly cheap because of:

• Inflation, which has made everything—everything—more expensive

• The exploitation baked into other thrift models (like Goodwill), which receive donations and still hike up prices with no justification other than profit

• The state of our current economy, which continues to spiral downward thanks to reckless tariffs and policies from this administration

But years ago? Thrifting was actually affordable.

What affordable means to me is $0.99–$10. What affordable means to someone working at Goldman Sachs is… something else entirely.

Our prices typically fall in the $2–$20 range. For intentionally purchased, luxury or rare items, yes—it’s higher. But only because we had to pay a pretty penny to bring that piece into our collection.

And yes—I’m a collector. Some people call it hoarding, but owning a thrift store totally makes my “condition” socially acceptable.

Affordability is relative.It depends on your income, your circumstances, your socioeconomic status, the barriers you face daily—and so many other factors.

Thriving Without Exploiting

The dominant business model tells us: raise prices, reduce costs, extract more. But that model was built on inequity—on extracting value from others to benefit the few.

People over Profit

We’re trying something different.

For those who don’t know my story:mBefore opening Academy St., I worked in higher education as an Associate Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and as a social and behavioral researcher. Now, I’m bringing those same values into this space—through fabric, story, and everyday choices.

We’re experimenting with what it means to thrive without exploiting. To build a business rooted in equity, education, and beauty.And to do it transparently, right in front of you.

So no, our prices aren’t “cheap.” They are radical. Disruptive. Grace-informed.

And I hope they spark more conversation about what it means to build systems that value people over profit.