Cheap Chick Trading Company closing after two years in Homewood

Reading time: 4 minutes

Cheap Chick
Cheap Chick Trading Company has been Birmingham’s go-to fashion closet for the past two years. (Jordyn Davis / Bham Now)

Cheap Chick Trading Company, a beloved thrift store on Green Springs, has announced it will close its doors.

For two years, Cheap Chick has provided thrifters with amazing deals on name-brand fashion. The store also offers gender-inclusive items and apparel.

Read on to learn more about this diverse store.

Meet Bart and Shannon Styes

Cheap Chick Trading Company
Cheap Chick Trading Company. (Pat Byington / Bham Now)

Even before Cheap Chick first opened their doors, the idea had been on both Bart and Shannon Styes’ brain.

They had thought about it for a little more than a decade and finally brought their business to Birmingham.

When they first opened back in 2022, they became increasingly popular due to their all-embracing, inclusivity-focused values. Not only do they appreciate diversity, but they also believe in recycling and giving back to the community. Their reading aspect helps customers recycle their clothes and receive cash or a store gift card.

“My favorite part of owning this store has been building community. I love seeing the joy that people experience.

They get to express themselves with their fashion sense however they want. This is one of the few stores where you see an article of clothing in another section. You can go and try it on. It makes you feel good about yourself. You can buy it without feeling like someone’s looking at you.”

Bart Styes, co-owner, Cheap Chick Trading Company

When it came down to the hard decision of closing up shop, the Cheap Chick team was devastated. This comes after a long tenure of providing Birmingham with great deals, fashion and trading.

Seeing people has been great. Their reaction to being free to be themselves when they shop is incredible. Being able to partner with other people in the community has been equally rewarding.

Whether that’s giving a percentage of sales to someone who’s helping people with mental illness issues. It could be addressing homelessness. It can also be supporting a humane society or aiding Magic City. It’s all about acceptance.

Bart Styes, co-owner, Cheap Chick Trading Company

The future of thrifting

Cheap Chick
Cheap Chick has jewelry, clothes, stickers and more. (Jordyn Davis / Bham Now)

Looking for some great deals?

Cheap Chick is having a huge sale to honor their many years of inclusivity, sustainability and acceptance.

Be sure to stop by and get in on some deals you don’t want to miss!

Take a look at some other local shops that have huge sales:

  1. Gender-free consignment store closing in Five Points South
  2. Come with us to our new favorite local thrift store + help a great cause
  3. 11 thrift + consignment shops around Birmingham

Although Cheap Chick is coming to an end, the future is vast for owners Bart and Shannon as they own Wild Roast Cafe in Bluff Park.

Cheap Chick has left its mark on the world of fashion and sustainability. Their last message for Birmingham? Bart and Shannon urge locals to shop locally and give back to the community.

“When you get a chance between a national chain for a taco and a street taco, go for the street taco. When you have a chance to go to the mall versus go to a market.

These are your friends and your neighbors, but they also impact your community in so many ways. There are so many things that, whether it’s a local bar or a restaurant or a shop, they do things in your community that a corporate owned chain will never do. And so if you love Birmingham and you want Birmingham to be special and unique, support local shop local.

Bart Styes, owner, Cheap Chick Trading Company

We’ll miss you Cheap Chick and we thank you for giving back to Birmingham!

What was the best item you’ve found at Cheap Chick? Let us know by tagging us @bhamnow.

Jordyn Davis
Jordyn Davis
Articles: 101