The Thrifting Tree Offers Berea a Quality Vintage Shopping Experience

It takes decades for most people to discover their personal style. Noah Mowery caught his early and ran with it.

The Medina native recalls shopping at local thrift stores before he even started high school — riding his bike there since he was still too young to drive. His routine closet cleanouts became curated secondhand collections rather than outdated throwaways. He first sold his unneeded finds on eBay, then an Instagram account, then eventually a dedicated website.

Thus, The Thrifting Tree was slowly born. The brand began as an online shop while Mowery was studying business management and human resources at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea. It sustained until he graduated in 2025, then became a storefront by September of the same year.

“It’s really cool to see my growth from picking things up at (Baldwin Wallace), keeping it as a full-time job while I was in school, then fully transitioning with the help of BW LaunchNET and other really helpful factors to make this a possibility after college,” Mowery says.

Given The Thrifting Tree’s proximity to Baldwin Wallace — less than a mile from the campus — Mowery has fine-tuned his inventory to his younger clientele, specializing in sports gear, streetwear and one-of-a-kind pieces in the realms of ‘80s, ‘90s, and Y2K. There are hundreds of items in the store, and he refreshes the stock with a new clothing drop every week.

“I work with a tight network of friends and people I’ve met through having the store, that bring us exactly what we’re looking for,” Mowery says. “They’re always looking for the stuff that we’re selling a lot of.”

Mowery’s business has become known nationally for its robust digital presence — steady online sales and an eclectic social media campaign. The latter includes videos that use niche, Gen Z-leaning internet trends to tease items coming soon to the shop. One post, featuring rare soccer jerseys found during the World Cup in June, garnered more than 2 million views on Instagram in just a few days. Other viral videos include a vision-board-esque treatment that showcases outfit combinations inspired by fashion eras, regional styles and celebrity aesthetics.

Mowery concedes that being a full-time business owner and content creator straight out of college wasn’t always his plan, but even as he explored other career opportunities, The Thrifting Tree was still growing tall. He couldn’t help but wonder if he should give a brick-and-mortar storefront a try. When he finally decided to take the leap of faith, he didn’t hold back.

“We have cool vintage artwork on the walls; we painted the walls green because I didn’t want white walls,” Mowery says. “This stuff matters when you’re building personality among your business. We didn’t settle here. And that’s what really makes people gravitate to our store.”

For more updates about Cleveland, sign up for our Cleveland Magazine Daily newsletter, delivered to your inbox six times a week.

Cleveland Magazine is also available in print with immersive features, helpful guides and beautiful photography and design.