Resale Is Reshaping Retail

Resale is reshaping retail in ways nobody really pictured a decade ago. If you walk into a shopping district in almost any American city today, it’s hard not to notice the shift. A resale sneaker shop in Los Angeles with a line out the door. A Goodwill in Chicago filled with college kids hunting for vintage band tees. Even small malls in the Midwest are experimenting with resale pop-ups. What used to be the “quiet corner” of retail has turned into one of the loudest voices in the industry. Property managers? They’re standing right at the edge of this change, deciding whether to keep doing things the old way or lean into the momentum.

Why Resale Is Growing So Fast

The resale market in the U.S. isn’t just growing—it’s exploding. Forecasts say it could double in size in just a few years. But honestly, you don’t need charts to see it happening. Go into a vintage shop in Austin, and you’ll understand. Shoppers don’t want the same jacket they could find in any mall across the country. They want something with personality, with a story. Resale gives them that—without the sticker shock. Sustainability plays a role, too. Younger shoppers especially are asking themselves, “Why buy new when I can buy smarter?” That mindset is fueling a cultural shift just as much as an economic one.

Rethinking the Tenant Mix

Once upon a time, malls lived and died by their anchors. If you had a Macy’s or a Sears, you were in business. That world is gone. Today, variety is the anchor. Think of a center where a sneaker resale shop hums with energy right next to a rotating vintage boutique. Across the way, a home goods resale store brings in families. It feels alive, unpredictable. It’s precisely this uncertainty that draws customers in. For property managers, creating a unique experience for each guest is more important than securing a single well-known brand.

Flexible Leasing for a Flexible Market

Here’s the catch: most resale businesses don’t want a ten-year lease. Honestly, many of them don’t even want a three-year one. Most resale brands aren’t looking to sign their life away on a long lease. Most resale shops aren’t out here chasing decade-long leases. They just want to test the waters—set up for a summer, maybe stick around a year if things click. That’s not a weakness at all; it’s actually magic. Property managers who get flexible—think short-term deals, shared corners, rotating spaces—can turn what used to be dead spots into little bursts of energy. Picture this: you walk into your local mall, and every season there’s a new vintage crew taking over a storefront. Suddenly the place feels alive, and people keep coming back just to see what’s next. That energy doesn’t just fill space—it builds loyalty.

Sustainability as a Selling Point

Let’s be real: sustainability isn’t just a buzzword anymore. It’s a shopping value, especially for Gen Z and millennials. Resale has become the clearest way for retail spaces to show they care about the planet. Some malls are already testing donation drop-off stations. Others run marketing campaigns that highlight local resale tenants as part of a circular economy. These aren’t just nice add-ons—they’re ways to connect with communities that want to feel good about where they spend money. When shoppers believe a mall “gets it,” they return. Retail is no longer just about transactions. It’s about trust.

Technology and the Hybrid Experience

We can’t ignore tech. Platforms like ThredUp, The RealReal, and StockX didn’t start with physical storefronts. They built huge online audiences first. Because consumers desire both the ease of internet purchasing and the tactile experience of in-person shopping, they are now venturing into the brick and mortar market. Property managers who support this—through free Wi-Fi, pick-up lockers, or even co-branded pop-ups—make themselves indispensable. A retail space is more than simply four walls in 2025. It’s part of a larger hybrid journey. The sooner managers lean into that, the stronger their properties become.

The Changing Consumer Mindset

What’s fueling resale more than anything? A change in mindset. Buying used isn’t about saving money for Gen Z. It’s about identity. They see thrifted finds as cool, not second-best. Millennials have embraced it too, balancing cost with quality and sustainability. If you’ve ever watched teenagers crowd around a rack of thrifted denim jackets, you’ll see it: resale is part of their culture. For property managers, ignoring that shift is risky. But leaning into it—making resale a visible, celebrated part of the tenant mix—means attracting the generations that are shaping the future of U.S. retail.

Retail and Resale Working Together

It’s not just small vintage shops riding this wave. Big names are paying attention. Levi’s now sells secondhand jeans. Lululemon lets customers trade in old gear. In its main store, Nordstrom even tested a secondhand store. For property managers, that opens up collaboration. Imagine a mall where a shopper can buy something new, then a few doors down trade in last season’s style for store credit. That kind of circular ecosystem keeps people in the building longer and makes the property feel innovative. It’s not about choosing between retail and resale. It’s about weaving them together.

Financial Strength Through Resale

Let’s talk about the bottom line. Vacancies have been one of the toughest challenges for malls in the U.S. Resale helps solve that. Secondhand stores don’t just fill space—they bring consistent traffic. In tough economic times, they often thrive because shoppers want value. That benefits everyone in the property, from food courts to traditional retailers. For managers, that translates into healthier occupancy rates and fewer long stretches of dark windows. Resale might not have been the financial backbone property managers expected, but in many cases, it’s becoming exactly that.

Creating Experiences Through Events

Retail in 2025 isn’t just about shelves—it’s about stories. Resale naturally lends itself to events. A sneaker swap in a mall parking lot. A vintage clothing fair in a common space. A fashion show with a sustainability concept in which each ensemble is sourced from thrift stores. These events draw crowds and create moments people actually talk about later. The bonus? A shopper who comes for an event usually ends up grabbing food or visiting other stores. For property managers, events are more than a side note. They are a means of transforming shopping malls into cultural hubs.

Changing Perceptions Around Resale

Of course, not everyone is fully on board yet. Some shoppers still imagine resale as cluttered or “cheap.” That’s where property managers can help. Support operators who design their spaces thoughtfully, market resale alongside traditional retail, and show secondhand items as stylish and valuable. When resale looks polished, people rethink it. When they rethink it, they spend. That shift doesn’t just help individual stores—it lifts the entire property’s reputation.

Looking Ahead for U.S. Property Managers

Here’s the thing: resale isn’t going anywhere. Everything suggests resale is only going to sit closer to the center of U.S. retail. The property managers who lean in now—experimenting with flexible leases, mixing online with in-person shopping, and backing sustainability—are the ones who’ll stay ahead. The ones who keep clinging to the old playbook? They risk watching their spaces fade into the background. Retail’s future isn’t about replaying what worked 20 years ago—it’s about matching how people actually shop today. It’s about matching the way people actually shop today. Today, they are resale shopping.

Conclusion

Property managers are at a crossroads as resale has transitioned from a specialized to a mainstream market. They may view it as a challenge or as a chance to develop their assets in new ways. The smart move is to embrace it. Build spaces where resale and retail exist side by side, create experiences that feel personal, and show communities that shopping here means being part of something bigger. Do that, and you’re not just filling space. You are influencing how retail will develop in the US. Follow for more updates on Business.

FAQs

1. Why does it feel like resale is taking over everywhere in the U.S.?

Because it kind of is. Walk around pretty much any American city right now and you’ll spot it—secondhand boutiques, vintage pop-ups, sneaker swaps. People are sick of spending top dollar on items that seem like throwaway items. They would want to come upon something unusual, with a little backstory. Add in the fact that shopping secondhand feels better for the planet, and suddenly resale isn’t just cool—it’s common sense.

2. What do property managers really get out of working with resale shops?

An empty storefront is dead weight. Everyone walking by sees it, and it drags down the energy of the whole property. But swap in a buzzing resale shop? Now you’ve got people flowing through the space, grabbing food, wandering into other stores. The rent matters, of course, but the real payoff is the life it brings back into the property. That ripple effect is what keeps the place relevant.

3. Are the big U.S. retailers honestly taking resale seriously?

They are, and that’s the sign this thing is real. Levi’s is reselling their own jeans. Lululemon lets customers trade in old gear. Nordstrom has tested resale racks. Even Walmart has teamed up with ThredUp. If giants like these are putting their names on resale, it’s not a side hustle anymore—it’s part of the new retail mix. For property managers, that’s basically the market flashing a neon sign that says: “Don’t ignore this.”

4. What does all this mean for American malls?

Malls don’t have to fade out—they just need new reasons for people to come back. Resale is giving them that chance.Imagine coming in and finding a local vintage collective that rotates every few months, a sneaker convention one weekend, or even a pop-up featuring secondhand books and records in place of the same old storefronts. That kind of variety makes people curious. They come back, not because they need something, but because they want to see what’s new. That’s the energy malls have been missing.

5. How can property managers actually help resale shops succeed?

It comes down to being flexible. Most resale businesses don’t want ten-year leases—they want to test the waters, see if the vibe clicks. That’s not a weakness. It’s an opportunity. Shorter leases, rotating tenants, even shared spaces keep the property fresh. When managers back that up with a little promotion—maybe featuring the shop on the property’s Instagram or running a small launch event—the shop feels supported, and the property feels alive. Everyone wins.