We recently connected with Mikenna Abercrombie and have shared our conversation below.
Mikenna, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?
When I was a little girl I grew up helping out with garage sales as a way to help pay for a fresh back to school wardrobe- more often than not thrifted from our local Goodwill or thrift shop. It was mind boggling seeing my earnings from the garage sales go so much further purchasing secondhand. Fast forward about 20 years and I learn about the Goodwill Outlet, famously known as the “bins” (thanks Mom!). In my first trip I find a black denim-esque Camel cigarettes jacket, perfect condition. Its not my size but I buy it anyways…later having the idea to make a shop and list it on Depop. Not long after I make my first couple of sales, one being that jacket. If you’re not familiar with the bins, you pay per pound of clothing, which in the end means each item usually costs less than $1-$2. i was able to sell the jacket for $95! My jaw was on the floor and a fire was ignited in me to continuing hunting at the “bins”.
Mikenna, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Hi! I’m Mikenna. By day I work as a thrifter, reseller, content creator and guinea pig mom-ager and by night I work as a server in the hospitality industry. I’ve found these two career paths really go hand in hand. You’re able to use the time before/after your shift depending on the hours to spend on your business. For me this includes thrifting at the bins or other thrift stores, washing, organizing, photographing and listing items and whenever the Washington sunshine cooperates, filming, photographing and orchestrating guinea pig photoshoots.
When I was a little girl I grew up helping my superhero single mom do garage sales as a way to earn some extra money for back to school clothes and other childhood expenses. She often would purchase clothing items in little baby sizes or sizes different than those of mine or my brothers and add those to the inventory of the garage sale. It was such a hit with the neighborhood moms and families around the area that she continued to do it for years often funding almost fully thrifted back to school wardrobes. We’d cruise around the neighborhood and check on her neon pink “BABY SALE” signs and spend hours organizing and hanging clothing items for upcoming sales. Years later, almost 20 to be exact my mom introduced me to the Goodwill Outlet and after that first visit I was hooked on hunting in bins. Today, a few years after my first bins trip I go weekly, have built up such a cool wardrobe of unique vintage pieces and have sent items all across the US from my local Goodwill Outlet via Depop. It’s so cool seeing items that were once discarded trash live a new life in someones closet miles away.
During middle school, junior high and highschool I was a huge Youtube fan. I binged makeup guru after makeup guru while perfecting or atleast i thought at the time, smoky eye before school and would often find myself watching my favorite Youtubers like i watched my favorite TV shows. I always wanted to have my own channel and make videos but as an introvert with no video making tools or money to buy the latest launches, thought it wasn’t for me. Well, the thing I’ve learned about getting older is you just have to go for it and make that younger version of yourself proud. Fast forward to my late 20’s and I now have a channel fully edited by myself and a Sony ZV1 which still remains one of my greatest purchases of all time. I enjoy documenting my thrifting trips and finds, day to day life as someone working in the service industry while pursuing other passions and what its like to be a 20 something in Seattle, WA. While it may not be a dramatic eyeshadow look you can even catch me doing my makeup from time to time. Although I’m not quite where I want to be in my Youtube journey I’m confident with hard work, time and a genuine love for the platform I can get there. Learning different editing techniques and styles has been one of my greatest new found joys.
After losing my Shih Tzu Claire last May to canine cancer, I decided to become a guinea pig mom to mend my heart. Taking care of these furry and some not so furry (completely hairless) piggies has kept me busy as well as very inspired. I love to incorporate my passion for thrifting vintage home goods and fashion into my content as well as their own. I have thrifted so many fabrics and little props for photoshoots as well as blankets and mini pillows for their enclosure. The thrift store isn’t just for humans…you can find some really neat and useful pet supplies there as well!
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
Shop small and shop secondhand whenever you can! If your’e in the market for a new shelf, looking for a striped sweater or want a new art piece for your gallery wall check for small businesses or artists you could support. Hit your local thrift shop before ordering it online and I promise you you’ll find something more unique. How cool would it be to be the only one with that painting or to be the only one around with that specific cardigan? Bonus: this is the best way to build your own style and find out what you like and maybe don’t like as much.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
The goal around my creative journey is to inspire others through Instragram and Youtube to purchase secondhand and go thrifting instead of purchasing everything new. I want to highlight my thrifted finds and show others you can find some really sick and some really valuable pieces in the bins, at your local antique mall or neighborhood Goodwill or Value Village store. You can really level up your wardrobe and make some extra money this way and I want others to be inspired to do the same if they so desire. A lot of the time I hit the thrift store solo, its a great self care activity (throw some headphones on, listen to a podcast and have a sweet treat after for the ultimate combo) and I want others to be inspired to do things on their own too.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.depop.com/mikennuh
- Instagram: @itsmikenna
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/mikennaabercrombie
- Other: @wheekygurls- guinea pig page