Second Life Thrift Store gives items and animals a second chance

In Avondale Estates, a thrift store is turning everyday items into something extraordinary.

Second Life Thrift Store has become a community stop, a place where people find treasures, meet friends and give old things a new purpose. What makes the store special is what happens after the checkout line.

It is worth the wait to get inside Second Life. The moment the doors open, shoppers are greeted with timeless treasures tucked into every corner. Clothes, books, home décor, electronics, even dishes and furniture are all waiting to be discovered.

Tom, a longtime shopper, said it is a win-win.

“It’s a win-win for me because I get to find interesting bargains, and I know that every dollar I spend here is going to go to a worthy cause,” he said.

Many shoppers bring their four-legged friends along.

“I can bring Maya, the dogs can shop,” Tom said.

Crystal Bowman, executive director of PAWS Atlanta, said she enjoys the store for another reason.

“I love seeing our animals in the store. I shop here quite often, more than I need to admit. But it’s really cool when I come in and see the cats,” she said.

Shoppers are not just finding bargains. They are discovering a community hub.

Paul Hooten said animals, humanity and community are all part of the experience.

“It’s important to be community-oriented. It brings people together,” he said.

The story behind Second Life begins with one very special dog, Lucky.

Tanya Mahrous, president and co-founder, recalled how he changed their lives.

“He got us involved in rescue, and we just saw that there are so many people who are giving their heart and soul to make a difference, to save lives, and we wanted to help them,” she said.

“He changed the course of our lives. We firmly believe that animals can change lives, can make lives better, and that’s why we are here, to make a difference for animals.”

Tanya remembers the early days of the store.

“When we were coming up with a name, Second Life just kinda stuck. We are giving animals a second chance at life. We are recycling, reusing clothes for a second life, and it was a second life for me, for my career, what did I want to do, how did I want to make a difference?” she said.

“If we can save it, we save it. When you see the quality of the donations we get, it’s amazing.”

When the store first opened in 2011, the space was empty.

Toby Tobias, vice president of operations and co-founder, said, “When we first got this space, it was empty, and we sat in the middle of it, and we thought we would never fill it up.”

But little by little, donations poured in, and the community embraced the store.

“The number of times I hear, ‘This is my favorite spot’ or ‘You spoil us, we don’t like going to other stores anymore.’ It makes me happy,” he said.

Over the years, Second Life grew not just as a thrift store but as a community partner.

“We collect food for a pet food pantry, we foster cats for PAWS Atlanta,” Mahrous said.

“We save their lives, but they save our lives as well. These dogs were not broken; they were let down by humans.”

The results are tangible.

“We love having a foster cat in the store, and we’ve gotten, I think, over 200 cats adopted,” Mahrous said.

It was not just about finding bargains. Every dollar spent at the store supports animal rescue and welfare.

“We’re not a shelter, we don’t have our own rescue, but we’ve donated over 3 million dollars to over 100 animal charities,” Mahrous said.

Toby remembers the early numbers.

“16,000 the first year, and we thought we were amazing. We thought we were the greatest thing to ever happen. And then 48,000 donated the second year, and we were like, ‘Oh, wow, this is incredible.’ And now we are at the 3 million mark, and it’s just,” he said.

“If you had asked us 15 years ago, there is no way we thought that would be accomplished, so still to this day, that boggles my mind.”

“Shelters are having to euthanize healthy animals, and it’s heartbreaking. So every dollar that we can generate for these organizations saves lives. And that to us is the most important thing, being able to save lives is the most important thing,” Tobias said.

At Second Life, clothes, dishes and furniture all get a second chance, and animals do too.

“It’s our second life for us, in our life, it gives the clothes a second life, the dishes a second life, and then the animals a second life,” Tobias said.

Shoppers echo the sentiment.

“It has an amazing variety of really great quality things,” Tom said.

A man with his dog outside added, “Thank you for helping cats and dogs.”

Crystal Bowman said the store helps organizations like hers thrive.

“Proving grants to organizations like ours that really make such a big difference,” she said.

At Second Life Thrift Store, it is not just about the items on the shelves. It is about the lives they touch. Every donation, every purchase and every volunteer hour contributes to a bigger mission: saving animals, building community and giving everything a second chance.

“15 years. Some days it feels like it was yesterday, other days, it feels like I have been doing this my whole life,” Mahrous said.

Second Life Thrift Store is located in Avondale Estates. The nonprofit supports animal rescue and welfare through thrift store sales. Learn more at secondlifeatlanta.org.