Today we’d like to introduce you to Carmen Bedolla.
Hi Carmen, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
It all started with my passion for thrifting. I always loved visiting thrift stores and searching for unique finds to decorate my home and find clothes for my children and myself. Over time, I started reselling some of the things I found, and what began as a hobby slowly grew into a passion and a vision for something bigger.
One day, my husband and I sat down and asked ourselves, “Why don’t we open a thrift store?” It was just a question at first, but that question became the beginning of Thrift N Save. We started researching the permits, requirements, and everything we would need to make the business a reality.
Once we had everything in place, we faced our first major challenge: finding a commercial space. As a new business, many property owners turned us down because we had no previous business history, while others simply weren’t interested in our business model. Eventually, we found a small commercial space in Kennett Square that was less than 500 square feet. It wasn’t the space I had envisioned, but at the time, it was the opportunity we had, so we took it.
The small space came with many challenges. Parking was limited, the store was very small, and it was difficult to bring in the kind of sales we needed to grow. After a few months, I started feeling stuck. I felt like I had done everything I could within that space and wasn’t sure how much further the business could grow there.
Because we only had a one-year lease, we decided not to renew and began searching for another location. We thought we had found the right space. We contacted the owner, met in person several times, and were told that they were interested in leasing to us. This was about five or six months before our lease was set to end.
Then, with only three months left on our lease, I received a message saying that the owner was no longer interested in leasing the space to us.
I was devastated. I felt like we were running out of time and didn’t know what we were going to do next.
A few days later, my husband encouraged me to call about the commercial space where Thrift N Save is located today. I initially told him no. I thought the space was too big and that the cost would be more than we could handle. But he convinced me to at least make the call.
I prayed about it and told God, “If this is Your plan for us, let it happen. And if it isn’t, that’s okay. I’ll stay where I am for another year and keep working hard and searching for our new home.”
We met with the owners, went through the process, and waited. Then one day, we received the email telling us that we had been approved.
To this day, I truly believe that everything happened for a reason. What felt like a devastating setback when we lost the first opportunity ultimately led us to something much better.
I always tell people that we are where we are today because of God. There were so many moments when I didn’t know how things were going to work out, but every door that closed eventually led us to another one.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
A smooth road? Not at all. I believe life in general is never a completely smooth road, and starting a business has taught me that challenges are often part of the journey.
One of my first and biggest challenges was learning how to balance being a mother and a business owner. When we opened our first location, we were just starting out and simply couldn’t afford to have employees. There were days when I had to close the store at 3:00 PM so I could pick up my children from daycare, then return and reopen the store at 4:00 PM. It wasn’t easy, but it was what I needed to do at that stage of our business.
At the same time, we constantly heard comments about how small the store was or how difficult the parking was. What people didn’t always see was everything happening behind the scenes—the long hours, the sacrifices, the sleepless nights, and the amount of heart and energy I was putting into making the business work.
There were many nights when I questioned myself. I wondered why things weren’t happening as quickly as I had hoped and why I wasn’t seeing the success I had envisioned. I had to learn that building a business takes time and that success doesn’t always happen on the timeline you imagine.
When we eventually moved into our new location, the challenges changed. I began experiencing criticism from people who didn’t understand our business model, particularly around receiving donations and reselling those items. Sometimes people would say, “You get everything for free,” without seeing everything that goes into running a thrift store—the time spent sorting and processing donations, cleaning and organizing merchandise, paying employees, maintaining the store, paying rent and expenses, and creating a place where people can shop affordably.
There were moments when the negativity made me question myself and ask, “Why?” Why would people criticize something that I was working so hard to build? But I eventually realized that I couldn’t allow other people’s opinions to define my journey.
Looking back, I honestly wouldn’t erase a single challenge I’ve experienced. Every difficult moment taught me something. The struggles taught me patience, resilience, discipline, and how to keep going even when I wasn’t sure what the outcome would be.
I believe the challenges didn’t stop me from becoming the business owner I am today—they helped shape me into one. And I’m grateful for every lesson, every setback, and every difficult season because they have all played a part in getting Thrift N Save to where it is today.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Thrift N Save is not only a thrift store. We’re building a space where people feel welcomed, valued, and comfortable enough to stay and connect. We want our customers to walk through our doors and feel at home.
We’re also focused on building strong, genuine relationships with our everyday customers and being an active part of our community. We believe in partnering with other small businesses because there’s no better way to grow than by growing together.
At the end of the day, we’re not just building a thrift store. We’re building a space centered around connection, community, and support—a place where people can find great things, but also feel like they belong.
What does success mean to you?
I define success as much more than how much we sell or how much the business grows financially. For me, success is realizing the impact we’re making and hearing how people feel when they come into our store.
To this day, I honestly still have moments where I can’t believe where we are. But then there are those moments when I step back from the checkout and just take it all in. I see people coming through the doors, laughing, seeing the little ones playing in the store, and noticing all the little details and imagination we’ve poured into the business. I hear beautiful things from people who don’t even know me, and I get to connect with so many different people who come into our store.
Those moments are what success means to me. I find myself praising the Lord every day during my drives to work and on my way home, just reflecting on all the blessings He has provided, the opportunities He has placed in front of me, and the beautiful people He has brought into my life.
I honestly love what I’m doing, and I love what we’re building. So, for me, success is not just about the numbers. It’s about being grateful for the journey, creating something that brings people together, and knowing that what we’re building has meaning. If I can continue growing the business while making people feel welcomed, connected, and happy, then I consider that success.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://share.google/fg92nkbPZJmPK56eN
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Thrift-n-Save-61571894470480/
