A Tik Toker named Macy Eleni, also know as "blazedandglazed," has become a viral sensation for shopping thrift stores and estate sales across Los Angeles.

Her one-minute TikTok videos are getting millions of views and introducing a whole new generation to the joys of antiquing.  


What You Need To Know

  • Since the start of the pandemic, Macy Eleni has racked up an enthusiastic following as she shops her way through estate sales, thrift shops, and antique stores

  • Eleni’s first estate sale video got over a million views in just a couple of days

  • In the comments, there were a lot of younger people who had no idea what estate sales were and had never heard of such a thing, but right away, she saw that interest was there

  • If you would like to get the inside scoop on upcoming estate sales, head over to Eleni’s TikTok page @blazedandglazed

Eleni grew up second-hand shopping and fell in love with thrifting at a young age. She said estate sales take thrifting to a completely new level.

"There are not just clothes; there is home decor, the carpeting, the lighting, everything from that specific era. It is kind of just like a time capsule of everything that a thrift store has, but it is curated to a specific vibe that you might be into," she said.

Before the pandemic hit, Eleni used her YouTube channel to do blogs at various thrift stores and vintage stores. When those stores shut down due to COVID-19, she found safer ways to be creative.

"I had just moved in into a new apartment and wanted to furnish it completely second-hand and wanted to share it with my audience. I decided to start TikTok when I went to my first LA estate sale. That first estate sale video I made got over a million views in just a couple of days. In the comments, many younger people had no idea what estate sales were and had never heard of such a thing, but right away, I saw that interest was there. I decided to keep making them, and it ended up turning into something I did every weekend that people were loving," Eleni said.

Vendor Amy Byer had a two-day estate sale in Bel Air in March. On the second day, she said she saw an influx of young shoppers.

"I definitely have some new younger clients, and I think it is cool. I mean, they are coming and are discovering things they have never seen before," Byer said.

Eleni said Gen Z is sick of fast fashion in all areas of their consumer lives. 

"They do not want to shop at the mall. They do not want to pollute the planet any more than past generations. Not only that, but they find it cool. I grew up thrifting and was made fun of and called "smelly" for wearing my thrift store clothes to school. Whereas my videos are making these young people that shop second-hand feel cool and powerful about it, and they do. They find a closet room so much more exciting than the mall," she said.

The antiques and collectibles sold at estate sales were likely previously owned by someone who has passed away, which can be a bittersweet experience for the surviving family members. But, Byer said she looks at it as a way to celebrate the life of the person through their collection.

"We are getting these things into new hands; they are treasures. Somebody else is going to love them and cherish them the way the family did," she said.

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