A Shopping Spree Is Totally Guilt-Free If It’s At ‘Resale Wave’

Finding the first ever secondhand shop in the Maldives is a miniature adventure I went on recently. Hard to easily spot, this gem is located at the cozy home of its young owner, Cizy, which can be found up a narrow alleyway in front of the Auto Parts Galore and the 80 Number Shop in Sabudheriyaa Magu.

Earlier this year, we saw an increase in hype amongst locals for secondhand products. Consequently, we witnessed a literal ‘wave’ of online stores selling hand-me-downs, mostly clothing, at low cost. ‘Resale Wave’ began their operations at this time, via Instagram, selling only secondhand clothes.

Simple and grand its own way, as I made my way inside the shop, what struck to me at first glance was its interior. Blending in the ‘secondhand’ concept extremely well, all corners of the shop was designed and decorated using simple handcrafted pieces made out of reusable materials such as wooden pallets, plywood etc.

At the secondhand shop which tags its highest price at MVR 150 on all its products, the lowest being for completely free of charge, you can find clothing for both men, women and children in addition to footwear, accessories and bags. Recently, they have also ventured into selling preloved books.

The driving force to kick-start the business had been Cizy’s love for vintage clothes and her experience of vintage stores encountered during her time abroad, along with the fact that such an experience was not attainable at Maldives yet was in demand. Furthermore, it is an opportunity to lower the burden on your wallets during this period of economic decline due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It is also a chance experience products of various well-known brands at significantly low prices.

On my visit to the shop, I also had the pleasure of having a chat with Cizy, and her partner, Sofuh who was pleased to give me a more detailed insight into its operational side. Stock for the shop is obtained both through donations and by purchase which are carefully assessed and handpicked. Donations can be made by anyone. Hand-me-downs are purchased between the prices MVR 10 to MVR 15 whereas items with tags can be purchased at a higher price of MVR 30. All clothing will be cleaned and washed prior to being available for sale.

Commenting on being the first persons to establish a secondhand shop in the Maldives, Cizy and Sofuh they note that they are very proud to take a step towards normalizing secondhand shopping and we are happy with the amount of love and support we have received from public. In the future, they hope to expand the business by increasing shop capacity and adding more variety to the shop such as home appliances.

P.S. Resale Wave is also actively engaged in donating their clothing items to the needy, so now you know a place which you can reach out to and collaborate with for the purpose!