Never Give Up: ThriftFair Community Resale Reopens in Nokomis After More Than Three Years

NOKOMIS, Ill., Sept. 9, 2026 — More than three years after its doors last closed, ThriftFair Community Resale is open again at 121 S. Spruce St. in Nokomis.

For owners Scott and Courtney Robinson and their son, Aaron Robinson, the reopening represents considerably more than the return of a local thrift store.

It represents persistence.

The last day ThriftFair was open was March 21, 2023. Getting from that day to reopening took more than three years, countless hours of work and a determination by the Robinson family not to give up on the business they had started only a few years earlier.

“We’ve certainly had plenty of reasons along the way to say this is just too much and walk away from it,” Scott Robinson said. “But we kept working at it. It took a lot longer than we ever expected, but the store is finally open again.”

A Business Interrupted

ThriftFair originally opened after the Robinsons purchased and renovated the building at 121 S. Spruce St., which once housed a bowling alley.

The family entered brick-and-mortar resale after years of selling merchandise online. Since 2009, the Robinsons have sold merchandise through marketplaces including eBay, Amazon, Walmart and others.

As online selling became increasingly competitive and subject to more restrictions and changing marketplace requirements, the Robinsons saw a physical resale store as a natural way to diversify.

They also believed Nokomis needed more locally owned businesses and more shopping choices for area residents.

The early years of ThriftFair, however, were anything but ordinary.

The business navigated the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and later experienced changes in shopping traffic following the closure of the Kroger grocery store in Nokomis.

“Kroger brought a lot of people into town, including people from surrounding communities,” Robinson said. “When Kroger closed, Nokomis lost more than a grocery store. We lost a major source of daily traffic that helped other local businesses too.”

At the same time, Robinson faced serious personal health challenges after surviving two heart attacks. Recovery took time and made operating and rebuilding the business considerably more difficult.

ThriftFair eventually closed in March 2023, but the Robinsons never completely abandoned the idea of reopening it.

Three Years of Work Behind the Scenes

Preparing the store for its return became a major family project.

Existing inventory had to be sorted, processed and cleaned. Large amounts of additional merchandise were brought in, organized and priced. The store itself was rearranged, and new shopping areas were developed.

According to Robinson, ThriftFair now carries roughly three times as much inventory as it did before.

“We didn’t want to just unlock the doors and reopen the same store,” he said. “If we were going to do this again, we wanted people to walk in and immediately realize there is a lot more here to explore.”

A Redesigned Store With More to Explore

Among the additions are a large wall of $1 bins filled with bargain-priced merchandise and an entire 50-cent Back Room, where everything is priced at 50 cents.

ThriftFair has also expanded its selection of vintage, collectible and nostalgic merchandise into its own Vintage Shop. The store’s New 4 You Shop features brand-new merchandise offered at resale-style prices.

Throughout the store, the emphasis remains on keeping prices low and giving shoppers a reason to return frequently to see what has arrived.

“We want it to be fun,” Robinson said. “You shouldn’t know exactly what you’re going to find when you walk into a resale shop. Part of the experience is discovering something useful, unusual or nostalgic and then realizing it’s only a dollar or 50 cents.”

Rewards and the Thrift Exchange Program

ThriftFair also offers ways for regular customers to earn and receive store credits.

Through the Hi-5 Rewards Program, customers earn a $5 reward credit for every $50 spent.

The store also operates a Thrift Exchange Program. Customers can bring in quality merchandise they no longer want or need and, if the items are accepted by the store, receive Thrift Exchange Credits that can be spent on future purchases.

The store also accepts donations, which help provide the steady supply of merchandise needed to maintain ThriftFair’s low-price approach.

“Donations are extremely important to what we’re trying to build,” Robinson said. “The more merchandise that comes into the store, the more we can keep prices low, continually put something different on the floor and give more people a chance to find a great deal.”

A Local Store With a Broader Purpose

For Robinson, reopening ThriftFair is also about something larger than the business itself.

He believes locally owned stores have an important role to play in the future of smaller communities such as Nokomis.

Robinson believes businesses that attract shoppers can also benefit neighboring businesses, keep more spending within the community and generate sales-tax revenue.

“In addition to giving local residents another fun place to shop, another active business in town means additional tax revenue for the city, and that’s something everyone should be concerned about,” Robinson said. “One day I’d like to see this city shine, and that takes money.”

Robinson said the reopening reflects the same belief the family held when ThriftFair first opened: small businesses matter to small towns.

This time around, however, there is another message behind the reopening:

Don’t give up.

“There were setbacks, health problems and a lot of days when progress seemed painfully slow,” Robinson said. “But if you keep moving forward, even a little at a time, eventually you get there.”

After more than three years, the lights are back on, and ThriftFair Community Resale is open again.

ThriftFair Community Resale, 121 S. Spruce St. in Nokomis, is currently open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

More information is available at www.thriftfair.com and fb.com/thriftfair. The store’s 24-hour text number is (217) 710-4113.

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