Patricia Schoonmaker knows fashion. As a clothing designer for Tommy Bahama and Indian Motorcycle Co., she spent years fabricating hip casual clothing. But when she and hubby Eric moved to Marysville a few years ago, the long commute to Seattle became an issue.

"I got a little tired of designing T-shirts over and over," Patricia said, "and wanted to have more creative control over my work."

So the couple began to look into business locations in Marysville, and about six months ago, they found the "right space at the right price," a long-vacant building on 4th Street in downtown Marysville that has been transformed into Trusty Threads, a trendy resale shop.

The 1,300-square-foot store is filled with well-organized racks of women's, young men's and junior clothing. With current music playing-not too loudly-and iconic posters adorning the walls, the shop has a fun and youthful vibe without overwhelming adult shoppers.

Trusty Threads is a resale shop rather than a consignment store, explained Schoonmaker.

"Buy, sell or trade clothing shops are unique in that you can get paid for clothing you might have normally donated," she said. "And if you trade up, you can walk out without paying a penny for great clothes."

Schoonmaker is discriminating about the items she accepts for resale. They must be in season and in like-new condition, with no damage or stains, and most are name-brand designs. Although a majority of the inventory is in size 6 to 16 category, she welcomes trade-ins of plus-size women's clothing and carries up to size 3X in the store. Since she buys items outright, sellers don't have to wait for payment, either in cash or merchandise from the store.


"A lot of people don't realize they're in a resale shop until after they've looked at the clothing for a few minutes. We're very selective about the clothes that we take," said Schoonmaker. "About a thousand items rotate every month, so there's always something new and exciting to bring customers back in."

The clothes at Trusty Threads are appropriate for ages 16 to 60, she explained, with an emphasis on fashion-forward, modern styles. In addition to resale clothing, shoes and accessories, the shop also features a fun selection of vintage-style novelty items and one-of-a-kind jewelry and other goodies made by local crafters and artisans.

"Where else can you find bacon-flavored dental floss or clove gum?" she asked with a laugh. "Handmade vintage button bracelets and soy candles are a big hit with our customers, too."

While focusing on building their business, the Schoonmakers have found time to dedicate their energy and enthusiasm to the Downtown Marysville Merchants Association and its projects, too. The new shop owners are organizers for this summer's HomeGrown Festival, with Patricia dealing with vendors and Eric booking entertainment acts.

"Mary Burns (formerly the owner of The BookWORKS), has been a big help to us," said Patricia. "Her knowledge and experience with the event has been really valuable."

Working with other downtown business owners, the Schoonmakers also plan to host market-style events throughout the summer in the parking lot just east of their shop.

"We're still working on permits and details, but we're hopeful we can start hosting craft events every other Saturday this summer," said Patricia.

Trusty Threads is located at 1520-4th Street in downtown Marysville. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call (360) 474-4544 or visit www.trustythreads.com.





Trusty Threads offers a unique retail experience where price-conscious shoppers can buy top quality recycled and new fashions as well as receive cash or trade for the items they sell to the store.

Active members of the Downtown Marysville Merchants Association. http://www.marysvillemerchants.com/