Meet Chantel Baumgard of TellyThrifts

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chantel Baumgard. 

Hi Chantel, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I’m originally from Minnesota. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents as a child and have always had a love for all things retro & nostalgic. I moved to Denver in 2015. I worked in dispensaries from the time I moved here until May of 2021. I learned a lot working in the cannabis industry, it was cool to be part of an industry that’s so new and constantly evolving. In the fall of 2019, I started my online vintage shop while working my full-time job as a budtender. It was nice to be busy but I was also getting a little burnt out working 40 hours a week and trying to sell vintage online during any free time I had. In the spring of 2021, I decided to take on TellyThrifts full-time. Now I am a small business owner and my own boss! 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Working for myself has been a huge adjustment for me. I’m used to a set schedule and someone else giving me tasks to complete. Now I’m responsible for 100% of what goes into my business. It can be nerve-wracking at times but I truly love what I do. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
TellyThrifts is an online vintage shop. We sell retro goodies on Instagram, Depop, and eBay. We also participate in local popup markets in the Denver area. We offer vintage items from the 1950s-1990s. We have a passion for all things vintage, we handle our finds with care and find the perfect homes for them. We source our inventory from thrift stores, estate sales, garage sales, etc. We are ALWAYS hunting for vintage! 

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
We are a proud Colombian-owned business! My mom was adopted from Colombia in the early 80s. Both her and her older biological sister were adopted together, I always think that’s such a special detail. None of my family has visited Colombia since they arrived in the US, but I hope to go someday. We are very blessed in Denver to have a strong Colombian community. There are several Colombian restaurants in the Denver area and festivals throughout the year. 

Contact Info:

• Website: depop.com/tellybb
• Instagram: @tellythrifts
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3IEuiK7WJoyNX2TvqHmtGY?si=Sq3C30eLTU2k5AnSpOvf3A