MENOMINEE — We all have a friend who can pull off any outfit.
Megan Nemetz, owner of Happy Finds, is trying to make everyone that friend by using secondhand stores to score the perfect “happy find” for her customers.
“When you take it away from the thrift shop and you look at it — it’s beautiful,” Nemetz said.
Happy Finds is Nemetz’s hobby in her downtime as a mental health therapist for Menominee County Intermediate School District. She started Happy Finds after having to furnish a house she’s renting.
“I had all this extra space that I never had before,” Nemetz said. “Personally, I couldn’t afford all new furniture.”
Naturally, she started thrift shopping, also known as “thrifting.”
When she accumulated too many things for her space or found things she knew a friend would love, she had the idea of creating Happy Finds. She started her business in March.
Nemetz will search for specific items people ask her to find and sells her accumulated items on her social media pages and at flea and farmers markets.
On Thursday, she’ll debut her finds from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Menominee Waterfront Market, a farmers market-style event on 1st Street.
She’ll also launch her business at a pop-up shop event at Spirit House, 533 10th Ave., Menominee, on Friday, June 7, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Those who attend can enter a raffle for a free photoshoot with The Creative Company.
She’s also done two flea markets in Shawano, Wisconsin. Nemetz sells kitchenware, home accents, clothing (she said she’s especially good at finding jeans) and other bits and bobs.
“The cute little things you want to put on your shelves,” Nemetz said.
Nemetz does all the thrifting herself — she doesn’t have vendors who bring in their finds. She does all her shopping in person and uses it as a way to disconnect.
“It’s a good way to get out and travel,” Nemetz said. “Our life is so busy, so it’s so easy to get caught up in everything. This forced me out of my routine.”
Her travels often take her outside the twin cities to Goodwills and St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores in Green Bay and Escanaba.
“I really didn’t want to spend my time doing something that I didn’t enjoy,” Nemetz said. “I wanted to do something that made me happy.”
Her goal is to stay off resale websites and avoid any online shopping.
“My target population is our town,” Nemetz said. “I wanted to connect myself with the community.”
Her goal is to keep her items less than $20. For any of her finds, she adds $5 to the price at which she bought it, and that’s it.
“My goal is not to overprice my things,” Nemetz said.
Still, she said she knows people are willing to shell out some cash if it means finding a one-of-a-kind item that doesn’t break the bank.
“Finding those unique pieces, it takes time to do that,” Nemetz said. “It takes time and energy, and I know a lot of us don’t have that. Busy moms, busy families. I want to be able to help people find their little pieces of happiness to bring into their homes.”
She said that affordability and quality don’t go together anymore. Finding a vintage item may mean still getting something affordable but at much better quality than what can be found online.
She’s got a good eye but knows that anyone can do what she’s doing.
“If you want to learn it, absolutely do,” Nemetz said.
Here are her tips and tricks for thrifting:
1. Patience and mindset — “It does take effort and time,” she said.
2. Setting a budget and staying in it.
3. Look for sales — always.
4. Know when thrift stores change their sales tags — “Sundays and Mondays are better days,” she said.
5. Make connections with the people working.
People can comment or message her directly on Facebook (Happy Finds), Instagram (@_happyfinds_) or TikTok(@happyfinds.megan).
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