UPTOWN CHEAPSKATE

How Resale Makes A Difference

In 2009, the first Uptown Cheapskate opened its doors for business in Salt Lake City, Utah, but the idea of opening a trendy resale clothing store for teens and young adults started brewing years prior. Chelsea Sloan Carroll, co-founder of Uptown Cheapskate, began thinking about starting her own resale company before she left to serve a church service mission in Anchorage, Alaska in 2006. On the day Chelsea came home from her mission, she and her brother, Scott Sloan, initiated plans for what would be known as Uptown Cheapskate.

Coming from a very entrepreneurial family, both Scott and Chelsea gained valuable experience early in life from working at their parent’s resale franchise, Kid to Kid. Founded by Brent and Shauna Sloan in 1992, Kid to Kid buys and sells new and gently used children’s clothing, toys, baby gear and maternity wear. The franchise has since grown to more than 100 Kid to Kid stores throughout the U.S. and Portugal. Kid to Kid’s successful buy-and-sell model inspired the siblings to start their own resale franchise concept for fashionable teens and young adults. With its chic vibe and upscale approach, Uptown Cheapskate was born.

The Uptown model proved viability early on, and the first franchise location was opened just a few months after the pilot store. This unique, environmentally friendly concept started receiving accolades from multiple sources. The first came by way of a third-place prize for student-launched businesses in the Utah Student 25 competition in 2010.

While pursuing a Business degree at the University of Utah, Chelsea went on be listed in Inc. magazine’s 30 under 30 and became the first female to win the 2012 Entrepreneur’s Organization’s Global Student Entrepreneur Award (GSEA).

Today, Uptown Cheapskate has expanded to over 120 locations in the United States. With its solid franchise concept and strong family roots, Uptown continues to grow, bringing great like-new fashions at cheapskate prices to people all over the country.

Choosing to become an Uptown Cheapskate owner in 2012 was the scariest, smartest, most overwhelming and best decision I have ever made in my adult life! I had just racked up 22 years of teaching in Missouri Public Schools and changes were coming that I wasn't a fan of. My husband was running a sandwich franchise and we were both ready for something new and fresh (to borrow a sandwich phrase). After some research, and a trip to Salt Lake City, we decided that Uptown Cheapskate was the perfect fit for us. We had no idea what we were doing, really, but we jumped in and built a great little store in Springfield, Missouri, that we still have, before adding three newer UCs.  Looking back, we would have done a million things differently, but saying “Yes!” to Uptown Cheapskate was the one thing we wouldn't change. - Natalie Armstrong  

We became Uptown Cheapskate owners in early 2019. We jumped in headfirst and haven't stopped swimming since. 

I chose Uptown ultimately for the value that a store can bring to one's community. I mean, who doesn't enjoy a few hours of thrifting? Always in the hunt for that next great piece?!

Not only do we offer some of the best prices in town for desired brands and styles, but we also play a huge role in the local economy by paying our community each and every day. 

'Have something you don't wear anymore, or maybe doesn't fit?' We offer a unique option to sell these items in exchange for cash. In doing so, we are benefiting both our wallets, and the earth. 

What other industry can say that they pay their local community to recycle? 

We are excited to be who we are, where we are and to be doing a bit of good in our community! - Aaron Alvey

If someone would have said to me in March of 2016, “Aleisha, one day you are going to own your own store”, I would have said “No way!” But little did I know, that was the start of my journey. In 2014 I became an Uptown Cheapskate customer. Then, in 2016, I became an employee, working 3 hours a day, 3 times a week. I was a stay-at-home mom with two young girls. With much love for everyone, I still wanted to get out of the house for a little adult interaction. That “adult interaction” turned into a purpose and a passion. My purpose was to help people feel confident and good about themselves when they put on a cute outfit. My passion was for fashion… so cliche, I know, but it’s the truth. Those feelings led me to not only want to work more hours, but also to find who I really was as a woman, aside from being a mother. Soon enough I became lead buyer at the Chandler, Arizona location and eventually assistant manager. Then in 2021 I decided I needed more: becoming a store owner is who I wanted to be. I fulfilled my newfound dream and opened my first store in September of 2022. I appreciate every struggle, triumph and continued “adult interaction” and will continue to do what I love for as long as I am able. When you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work! - Aleisha

Uptown Cheapskate has now been a part of my life for more than 10 years. Our ownership group consists of four members: Kirk and Jennifer Johnson are my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, my sweet wife Natalie and myself.

We absolutely love what we do and what Uptown Cheapskate provides to our communities. We have been lucky enough to grow to three locations over the last 10 years and we love giving clothing items a new life each and every day.  

Providing cash for clothing right on the spot is a powerful thing to do. We are putting cash or store credit in the hands of our customers right there for them to use as they please. This not only boosts the local economy, but it also helps them recycle their items — minimizing the huge, ongoing textile waste problem we have in this world. 

We firmly believe what we do is important for the communities where we operate. To give everyone access to brands and styles that may not be affordable for everyone means a great deal to us. It is truly a magical experience to witness someone finding an item that they love at such an affordable price! That is why we are here and that's why we will continue to do what we do. - Justin Crump

www.uptowncheapskate.com