Startup Junkie Foundation, the Northwest Arkansas based nonprofit dedicated to building the entrepreneurial and innovation community, is partnering with a team of community volunteers and donors to launch a re-sell store to provide financial support to local small business owners. The store, dubbed UpStart Thrift will be located in Farmington, and all proceed will be directed back to the entrepreneurial community.
UpStart Thrift will be located at 235 E. Main Street in Farmington. The store will be attached to a soon to be announced national food chain.
Building on the Startup Junkie mission of improving lives through entrepreneurship, UpStart Thrift will focus on three pillars of service: serving the community through access to affordable clothing and home goods, access to hand-up capital to small business owners, and community lending as a Kiva NWA lending team.
The launching of such an endeavor is made possible through charitable contributions from members of the Fayetteville and Farmington communities. All associated startup costs have been covered by anonymous donations, including operating costs, until the store is self-sufficient.
UpStart Thrift will serve as the latest endeavor of Startup Junkie Foundation’s “Entrepreneur’s Give Back” initiative. Under this initiative, the organization launched a food drive to benefit the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank in December of 2021.
“The Northwest Arkansas venture community is a very giving one,” said Startup Junkie Foundation Executive Director Caleb Talley. “Whether it’s giving of their time, knowledge, or resources, I’ve seen the impact our area entrepreneurs have on each other and the rest of this growing community. Through this store, we hope to be able to provide our small business community access to funding that could make all the difference.”
Criteria for these small grants has not yet been determined. Funds lent through the NWA Kiva Hub will be directed as small business borrowers raising on the platform, providing “a hand up, not a handout.”
UpStart Thrift is currently seeking donations of clothing and home good items to be sold in the store and is planning for a June 1 grand opening and ribbon cutting.
All physical and monetary donations are tax deductible, as Startup Junkie Foundation is a 501c3 organization. Monetary donations can be made at startupjunkie.org/support.
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About Startup Junkie Foundation: Startup Junkie is a team of passionate people working every day to help entrepreneurs win and communities thrive. We exist to educate, inspire, and support entrepreneurs and innovators through no-cost, one-on-one consulting; events, workshops, and programs; and access to capital and talent.
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