A five-year vacancy in Elverson’s Darby Square Plaza has been filled by Country Thrifty, the first-time business venture of two best friends, Tamra Mock and Wanda Spatz.
In June, Mock and Spatz opened their thrift shop to the public under the name Simply Thrifty. After grappling with the already trademarked name, they decided to change it to Country Thrifty.
Country Thrifty offers a walk-through environment with sections dedicated to clothing for women and misses, juniors, girls, boys and men, with a designated area for maternity and baby’s clothing and accessories.
There are secondhand and vintage items, jewelry, books, DVDs, household furnishings, decorations and the most popular according to Mock, pet-related items.
While Country Thrifty does not offer consignment, the shop is filled with one-of-a-kind items. Owners Mock and Spatz work meticulously to search for the right pieces to offer their customers.
“We are constantly putting out new items,” said Mock. “Once one thing goes from a shelf, we replace it with something else we love. The best thing about a thrift shop is you never know what you will find, and the selection is always changing.”
The idea for the shop started as a simple conversation between best friends Mock and Spatz.
“We both were teachers,” said Mock. “I taught for 22 years at Governor Mifflin, and I was ready for something different. One day we were talking about what we would do if we weren’t teaching, and oddly enough, we both said the same thing: open a thrift store.”
Luckily, the plaza’s owners Doug and Lisa Hess are friends of Mock and Spatz.
“My daughter play’s volleyball with Lisa’s daughter,” said Mock. “One day we were at a tournament, and she brought up that she had this space available and her barn was so full of stuff she wanted to sell. Of course, Lisa didn’t have time to run a place on her own, so I immediately sent a text to Wanda. It was like divine intervention.”
The two new business owners came to look at the space for the first time during a blizzard this past January and immediately saw the potential.
“It was covered in cobwebs, and it was dark and freezing, but we saw what it could be,” said Mock.
“We started setting it up in February,” said Spatz. “It was 34 degrees with no heat, but we were here every day.”
After a lot of dedication, the store opened to the public in June and is in the process of building a name and clientele.
“Almost every single person that comes in has the ‘wow’ reaction,” said Mock. “Everyone says they love it and will come back and recommend it to others. It’s amazing.”
Mock and Spatz look forward to growing the shop together as business partners and best friends.
“It’s been a lot of hard work but so much fun,” said Mock. “I wake up every single day so happy that I get to come to work.”
For more information on Country Thrifty, visit www.countrythrifty.com or stop into the shop located at 115 Darby Square, Elverson (Morgantown).
