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From Parking Lot Tears to Thrift Store Empire
1 Aug
Summary
- Founder Parker Hayes started with a trailer in a parking lot.
- Ghost Town Outfitters sells, buys, and trades clothing and media.
- The store fosters community through concerts and donation programs.
Parker Hayes' journey with Ghost Town Outfitters began in adversity, starting from a trailer parked in a Fred Meyer lot. This challenging beginning in Eugene has since blossomed into a successful business with two distinct locations. The main warehouse on Tyinn Street is known for its spaciousness and live music events, while the campus location offers a cozy, nostalgic atmosphere filled with Oregon Ducks merchandise.
Ghost Town Outfitters has evolved from Hayes's early days of reselling items online. The business now buys, sells, and trades a wide array of clothing, from vintage band tees to contemporary styles, alongside physical media like VHS tapes and CDs. Bartering is encouraged, making fashion and media accessible to a broad audience. The "Bargain Corral" at the West Eugene store offers items on a pay-what-you-want basis, emphasizing community outreach.
The West Eugene location has also become a vibrant hub for the arts, hosting over 600 concerts and performances. Hayes views these events as a community service, funded by the store's daytime retail operations. This integration of music and fashion creates a unique vibrational experience for patrons, encouraging self-expression and community building. Staff, known as "Ghosties," are celebrated for their creativity and compassion, contributing to the store's reputation as a safe and accepting space.
