Dad makes thousands a month reselling thrift store finds

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    NEW HOPE, Minnesota (WCCO) — If you’re looking for a way to find a little extra cash these days, look no farther than your local thrift store.

Some Minnesotans rake in major cash by finding hidden treasures and turning them for a profit.

We went to Unique, a thrift store in New Hope, to meet up with Scott Kvasnik, an expert reseller who is constantly on a search for the next great find.

Kvasnik is currently making roughly $1,700 a month upcycling some of his thrift finds and agreed to show us his ways.

“I have a 9-5 job and I love what I do. I’m not looking to leave my 9-5 job but what do I do with the extra time that I have on my hands? I go shopping,” said Kvasnik.

His first year he made $500 reselling stuff online. By year four, he was taking home $10,000 doing a hobby he loves. And using the money for splurges like his sneaker collection and, this year, hopefully a family trip to Disney.

“I named my business after my kids Jax and Harrison. People follow me on Instagram, they’re like, what’s Jax and Harrison? I’m like, it’s my motivation,” said Kvasnik. “My wife and I don’t have to think about how are we going to pay for that? Well, the business is going to pay for it.”

All that cash to earn. We had to try it ourselves. We asked Kvasnik what to look out for.

“Unique and limited is good,” said Kvasnik. “Weird is good.”

Kvasnik also suggested searching on the eBay app to find what similar items with the same brand, color and type of garment have sold for.

This is a good barometer, he says, for newbies and veterans alike.

He avoids common, inexpensive brands and boring colors. He also needs to be sure he’ll make enough money.

“I need to make at least $20 profit on any item I find for me to feel like I’ve gotten my per dollar and hour value out of my day,” said Kvasnik. “I would just start with what you know.”

While Kvasnik rips through the shoe section, I took my shot at athletic wear. Kvasnik’s first find was a pair of bright orange snowboarding shows.

“The shoe is $13 and I would anticipate I can sell it for about $75 with 20 minutes of cleaning it,” said Kvasnik.

Major stains or rips are a no-go, but little imperfections are fine if you disclose them.

Kvasnik recommends starting small with your own closet. While you’re always on the hunt for unique, valuable items, Kvasnik said scale is key if you’re trying to make money.

Kvasnik’s find of the day was a fur coat with tags on it.

“I anticipate this jacket will sell for about $75,” said Kvasnik.

Know your seller fees, shipping costs and post pictures with a clean, white background. And don’t forget to enjoy the hunt.

“I mean, my 69-year-old mother does this,” said Kvasnik. “Find unique, find wild, find fun.”

Kvasnik spends 20 to 40 hours a week doing this. He’s applying with the city of Plymouth to teach his craft to others.

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