Senior, Elijah Rider has quickly transformed himself into an entrepreneur by reselling vintage clothes on his successful Instagram account, Plano’s Closet. 

     Rider discovered his love for vintage clothes back in July 2018. What started off as a couple of friends thrifting, escalated to him proposing an Instagram page dedicated to his unique findings. 

     “I ended up purchasing a lot of unnecessary clothes,” Rider said. “So I started cleaning them up and selling them online.” 

     By late August 2019, Rider had a growing page that featured new items once a week. His brand was called Plano’s Closet, and soon it became known for reselling vintage clothes around campus.

     “Many students love Plano’s Closet because it is stylish and convenient,” junior Sheena Amir said. “He has clothes for every gender and every size.”

      He began exploring local thrifts in Carrollton, Allen, and Garland for more diverse clothing. As his page continued to grow he found difficulties in pleasing his audience. 

     “Many people don’t specifically respect the idea of vintage clothes,” senior Forest Sengstock said. “So it’s challenging to upcharge.” 

     Rider is very appreciative of his customers and always makes an effort to please them. He takes on a personal perspective by pricing his items according to what he would be most comfortable paying. He takes cash in person and over mainstream payments apps like Venmo, Cashapp, Paypal and Zelle.

     “I was never in it for the money, I simply just enjoy doing it,” Rider said.

      Over time, Rider gained many loyal costumers not only on campus but around the states. His Instagram page has over 600 followers, most being Plano residents or students. 

    “I’ll do my best to meet students in person whenever it is convenient,” Rider said. “My schedule is pretty crazy but I make it work.”  

    With a chaotic schedule, Rider is often assisted by his friends to lessen the workload. He holds much gratitude towards his friends due to the amount of encouragement and support they give him. 

     “I met a lot of my friends through thrifting,” Rider said. “They inspired me to start selling and supported Plano’s Closet.” 

     Thrifting holds a special place in Rider’s heart. He enjoys discovering the vintage items and crazy findings from the past. Though it’s sometimes hard not to get attached to the new findings, he feels better sharing them with others. 

     “Thrifting has taught me more than I can imagine,” Rider said. “I learned to stay patient and enjoy the journey, nobody has the secret to success and everyone just works for it.”