cjh012@marietta.edu
Lee Hankinson
Marietta Colleges Big Blue thrift store just celebrated its one year on September 22nd, 2023, since opening back in 2022. The store reopened on September 15th, 2023. Co-founders, Alexis Sommers and Lilly Posti created Big Blue because they saw that having an affordable and accessible shopping option on campus would benefit students.
Their mission states, “To offer an affordable shopping option, while minimizing clutter and waste and providing new opportunities for Marietta College students to gain practical business-related experiences.”
Looking back at 2022, Posti and Sommers were the only two running the store; they did the marketing, operations, donations, laundry, register, and more by themselves. Now, the two founders have an entire team of practicum students and volunteers by their side to help with Big Blue.
Sommers commented about the opening, “The opening of Big Blue is always a busy season, but it is so rewarding to know we have another semester of doing what we love and impacting our amazing campus.”
On October 10th, Posti and Sommers claimed the first runner-up position at the Appalachian Social Enterprise Summit Pitch Competition hosted by Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. Together they presented their innovative business to a panel of judges. The judges were impressed with their dedication and vision.
Big Blue is located on 229 Sixth Street in Marietta, in-between Mills Hall and the McKinney Media Center. The thrift store is open Monday through Friday from 12:00p.m.to 4:00p.m. So, make sure to stop by and check Big Blue out!
