251: How One TikTok Changed a 57-Year-Old Family Resale Business Forever, feat. Margy McCarthy

What happens when a 57-year-old family resale business goes viral on TikTok? In this episode of The Get Thrifty Podcast, host Maggie Scivicque talks with Margy McCarthy of Elite Repeat, a beloved family-owned consignment and resale shop in the Chicago suburbs founded by her grandmother in 1969. Margy shares how one TikTok video helped introduce a decades-old resale business to a whole new generation of secondhand shoppers, vintage fashion lovers, and consignors across the country. Margy talks about leaving corporate America, stepping into her grandmother's resale business, launching Elite Repeat's first website, growing on TikTok and Instagram, and using social media to bring new life to a shop built on word of mouth, community, trust, and timeless fashion. She also shares why vintage fur coats, designer resale, consignment, and one-of-a-kind secondhand pieces are making a major comeback. This episode is perfect for thrifters, resellers, consignment shop owners, vintage fashion collectors, secondhand shoppers, small business owners, and anyone interested in how social media can transform a legacy resale business. SHOW NOTES Margie shares her journey from corporate America to becoming the next steward of her family's consignment business. The history of Elite Repeat, founded by her grandmother Betty in 1969 and built through community relationships and word-of-mouth referrals. Balancing the shop's long-standing reputation with modern tools like websites, TikTok, and social media marketing. The growing demand for vintage and secondhand fashion among younger shoppers. Why trust, transparency, and long-term relationships are essential to successful consignment businesses. Margie's perspective on vintage fur as a practical and sustainable alternative to discarding existing garments. The enduring appeal of well-made vintage pieces and the craftsmanship often missing from modern fast fashion.