Pictured is Sal mc Connell owner of Second Hand Sal showing what various vintage clothing there is to offer in store.
In May 2024, Sal Mc Connell set up her own second-hand shop in Armagh City Centre called ‘Second-hand Sal’ inspiring the local community to shop for pre-loved vintage clothing. The shop has an extensive range of second-hand clothing available including authentic leather jackets, premium sports jackets, knitwear, dresses, tops and much more.
Sal has always loved thrift shopping. Through the years, she collected vintage clothing items and stored them in hopes of opening her own shop one day. She mentioned how her husband encouraged her to “Go for it!” and saw that “There was nothing like it in Armagh, so it’s kind of niche.” Sal encourages everyone to shop second-hand as it is both fun and better for the environment she also states that there are many benefits to shopping second hand for example you will not be dressed the same as anyone else, it is cheaper and believes that vintage clothing “Stands the test of time and I think it’s amazing they can be loved again instead of ending up in a landfill”
Pictured is a street view of Second Hand Sal found on Scotch Street Armagh.
Sal describes owning the shop as her dream job and says that the most rewarding thing is making her customers happy with beautiful vintage pieces and taking customers out of their comfort zones by “showing them how to mix modern and vintage.” She also encourages those who are starting their own business to go for it “You don’t need loads of money just a bit of determination, there are some days I sit in the shop bored but then you have days that I don’t get a minute so it all balances out”
Second hand Sal promotes her business to a large following across all her social media platforms highlighting what new additions there are to the shop, when she runs giveaways or if there are any in-store discounts or deals. She has even started running thrifting-themed events in-store, for example, ‘Thrift and Sip’ and ‘Crochet and Thrift.’
Sinéad Kelly
Student journalist UUC