Blues City Thrift Stores, Inc

What Blues City Thrift Stores, Inc does

Blues City Thrift Stores, Inc. operates a single physical thrift store at 6685 Quince, Suite 110, Memphis, TN 38119, functioning as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable retail organization founded in 2013. The company sells donated gently used goods across five retail categories — clothing (men's, women's, and children's apparel), home goods, furniture, linens, and multimedia items — with children's clothing priced at approximately $1 per piece and tax-free pricing on clothing, shoes, and accessories. Sourcing is donation-driven: community members and benefactors contribute inventory, which is either resold in-store or routed to other charities when not appropriate for resale, and donation pickup services are available Monday through Saturday.

The underlying technology stack is minimal, consistent with a traditional thrift retail model. The organization maintains a content website (bluescitythrift.org), a Facebook page, an Instagram account, and a Yelp listing; there is no mobile app, no public API, no proprietary software, and no documented AI/ML components. Operational processes are manual: items are priced individually at variable price points, and the company runs a 20% discount program for military, first responders, students, and teachers who present valid ID. Biz hours are Monday through Saturday, 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM, closed Sundays.

The revenue model is one-time retail transactions on donated goods. The customer base consists of two primary personas: budget-conscious consumers seeking affordable apparel and household items, and donors/benefactors contributing gently used items or monetary donations for tax-deductible receipts. Proceeds are recycled into the Memphis community via a network of 12+ partner charities and ministries, including Birthright of Memphis, Catholic Charities of West Tennessee, Church Health of Memphis, Muscular Dystrophy Association, and others. The primary go-to-market is direct-to-consumer in-store, supplemented by organic social media and community-event-driven donation drives.

Name

Blues City Thrift Stores, Inc

Legal name

Blues City Thrift

Website

https://bluescitythrift.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Blues City Thrift Stores, Inc. is a Memphis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a single thrift store that sells donated clothing, furniture, home goods, linens, and multimedia items, with proceeds funding 12+ local Memphis charities and ministries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Thrift Retail

NAICS

Used Merchandise Retailers (459510), Used Merchandise Retailers (45951)

SIC

Retail-Misc General Merchandise Stores (5399), Retail-Miscellaneous Shopping Goods Stores (5940)

akta.pro primary industry

Donation, Resale & Textile Recycling Coordination (HSAFABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Textile & Apparel Sorting/Recovery Facilities (EUAIADAJ)

Keywords

• Thrift store retail
• Donated goods resale
• Nonprofit charity thrift
• Secondhand clothing
• Charitable retail

Headquarters

HQ city

New Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales of Donated Goods: Revenue is generated through the sale of donated gently used items including clothing, furniture, home goods, linens, and multimedia products. The store sells items at bargain prices, with children's clothing priced at $1 for most regular pieces. Tax-free pricing is available for clothing, shoes, and accessories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Blues City Thrift Stores, Inc operates a single thrift retail store in Memphis, Tennessee that sells donated gently used clothing, furniture, home goods, linens, and multimedia items at discounted prices. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity founded in 2013, the organization accepts community donations (including a pickup service for larger items) and directs store proceeds to support over a dozen local Memphis-area charities and ministries.

Product overview

Blues City Thrift is a single retail thrift store operating as a 501(c)(3) charity that sells donated goods to support Memphis community charities and ministries. The store offers a unified retail experience with five main product categories: Clothing (men's, women's, children's apparel and accessories), Home Goods (household furnishings and decor), Furniture (residential furniture pieces), Linens (bedding and household textiles), and Multimedia (books, media, and entertainment items). The organization also provides Donation Services accepting both physical item donations and monetary contributions, with pick-up and drop-off options available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Thrift Store Retail (Donated Clothing, Furniture, Home Goods, Linens, Multimedia) Single-store retail operation in Memphis, Tennessee selling donated gently used items including clothing, furniture, home goods, linens, and multimedia to local consumers at deeply discounted prices (including $1 children's clothing and 20% discounts for military, first responders, students, and teachers). Tax-free on clothing, shoes, and accessories under Tennessee law. Proceeds support local Memphis charities and ministries.
• Donation Pickup Service Service offered to Memphis-area residents and households to collect larger donated items (such as furniture) directly from the donor for resale through the thrift store. Supports the inventory supply pipeline of the nonprofit thrift retail operation.
• Charitable Proceeds Distribution Program Ongoing program that distributes net thrift store proceeds to over a dozen partner Memphis-area charities and ministries to support their respective community missions. Operates as the charitable giving arm of the nonprofit.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Birthright of MemphiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal charity organization that receives support from Blues City Thrift proceeds. Part of the network of charities funded by sales at the thrift store.
• Catholic Charities of West TennesseecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional charitable organization serving West Tennessee communities that receives contributions from Blues City Thrift's fundraising efforts.
• Calvary Episcopal Church's Homeless MinistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal church ministry addressing homelessness that receives support through Blues City Thrift's charitable giving program.
• Child Evangelism FellowshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization focused on children's outreach and development that benefits from Blues City Thrift's community support initiatives.
• Church Health of MemphiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare-focused charity in Memphis providing health services to underserved communities, supported by Blues City Thrift's contributions.
• First Congregational Church's Homeless MinistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHomeless ministry program receiving support from Blues City Thrift's charitable mission to help families in need.
• First Presbyterian Church's Homeless MinistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch-based ministry addressing homelessness that is part of Blues City Thrift's network of supported organizations.
• Muscular Dystrophy AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational health agency benefiting from Blues City Thrift's fundraising and charitable contributions to support individuals with neuromuscular diseases.
• Tuition Assistance at Westminster AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation-focused support program at Westminster Academy receiving tuition assistance funded by Blues City Thrift proceeds.
• Two Fish and Five Loaves Homeless/Prison MinistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal ministry serving homeless individuals and those transitioning from incarceration, supported by Blues City Thrift's community giving.
• World Relief MemphiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHumanitarian organization in Memphis providing refugee and immigrant services that receives support from Blues City Thrift.
• Youth Leadership of MemphiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth development organization helping young people develop leadership skills, supported through Blues City Thrift's charitable contributions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• ThriftBooks: Large online reseller of used books and media. Comparable on the multimedia inventory category (books, movies, records) Blues City Thrift sells, and on the secondhand merchandise value chain for the same donor base.
• Better World Books: Social-enterprise used-book retailer that funds literacy programs from proceeds. Comparable on the secondary-media inventory (books) Blues City resells and on the mission-driven financing model, though digitally native rather than physical-store based.

Regional players

• Unique Thrift Store: Multi-state thrift superstore chain focused on value-priced clothing and household goods. Comparable merchandise breadth (used apparel, furniture, housewares) and budget-shopper positioning; operates regionally rather than within Memphis but competes for similar donor pool.

Direct peers

• Habitat for Humanity ReStore (Memphis): Nonprofit home-furnishings resale store benefiting Habitat housing programs; comparable because it sells donated furniture and home goods to a Memphis-area budget-conscious shopper with a charitable mission.
• ARC Thrift Stores: Nonprofit thrift chain benefiting programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable on donation-driven retail model, charitable mission, and shopper demographics, though larger geographic footprint.
• Goodwill Industries of Memphis & the Mid-South: Direct competitor operating nonprofit thrift/retail stores in the Memphis metro, similarly accepting donated goods and channeling proceeds to community programs. Most comparable on mission, donation model, and primary customer base.
• The Salvation Army Memphis (Family Stores): Charitable thrift retail chain accepting donated clothing, furniture, and household goods in the same Memphis market. Directly comparable on donor funnel, pricing approach, and charitable mission.
• Buffalo Exchange: Resale clothing chain that buys and sells secondhand apparel. Comparable on retail format, price-conscious customer, and donated/secondhand sourcing, though it is for-profit and not Memphis-specific.
• Plato's Closet: Teen/young-adult apparel resale franchise that buys and resells gently used clothing. Comparable on affordable-clothing retail to budget-conscious consumers and donated/secondhand inventory model.

Broad incumbents

• Savers (Value Village): Large for-profit thrift chain with national scale and bulk donation buy/sell programs. Comparable on customer base (value shoppers) and merchandise mix (clothing/home goods) though it spans a broader geographic footprint and operates more as a general retailer than a localized charity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/344323019020138
• Instagraminstagram.com/bluescitythrift
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blues-city-thrift-stores-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blues City Thrift Stores, Inc