Founder Carmen Croxall says demand has left shelves bare and pressure sky-high as bargain hunters travel hundreds of miles.
What started as a local community project to stop clothes and goods from going to landfill has turned into a viral shopping frenzy.
Carmen Croxall, 37, launched the Thrift Warehouse and Secondhand Craft Shop in Exeter earlier this year, selling donated items for just £1 each.
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Her aim was simple: to stop charity shop overflow from being wasted and offer families an affordable place to shop.
But after a video tour of the warehouse went viral on TikTok, the space was suddenly flooded with bargain hunters travelling from across the country.
One family even made a six-hour round trip from Farnham. Others came from Bristol, St Ives and Bournemouth.
The sudden surge saw 12,000 items snapped up in a single week – stock that had taken months to build. “I feel under intense pressure,” Carmen told Hype Daily.
“The shelves look bare every day. People have travelled so far and I don’t want them to leave disappointed.”
Operating as a not-for-profit CIC, the warehouse relies entirely on donations. Carmen has pleaded for more drop-offs and even extended hours to keep up with demand, but admits it’s unsustainable.
“We encourage people to donate back, but if you’re visiting once because it’s a TikTok trend, you’re not going to do that,” she said.
The response has been mixed. While many love the concept, others left negative reviews when shelves ran empty.
“We had a one-star review saying it was a wasted trip,” Carmen admitted. “But I see the warehouse like a seven-day-a-week car boot sale – the stock changes constantly.”
The idea was born after Carmen became frustrated with the rising prices in charity shops.
Using a disused warehouse from a failed play centre, she decided to sell everything for £1 – what she calls a “processing fee” that just about covers costs.
Strict rules mean resellers are not allowed, to keep items affordable for those who need them most.
Despite the strain, Carmen remains proud of what she’s built.
“It was borderline scary at one point – it felt more like a dance floor than a shop,” she said. “But it’s amazing too. I’m doing something that helps my community and saves thousands of items from landfill.”
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