Episode 63: Aaron Marshall, Musical Artist and Founder of Naptown Thrift

Show Description:

Aaron Marshall (@doubleamuzic) is a musical artist and the founder of Naptown Thrift (@naptownthrift), Indianapolis' #1 source for vintage clothing. Growing up with a passion of music and thrifting, Aaron launched his business in September 2018. After running an appointment-only store out of a storage unit while attending Butler, he has grown the business significantly into a storefront hotspot, and built a reputation as a trustworthy source of vintage clothing of all kinds of brands.

In this interview, Aaron talks about his passion for music, starting his thrift store, important lessons he has learned as a business owner, and navigating the industry by networking and building meaningful relationships with other entrepreneurs and customers.

To learn more about Aaron and his business, you can visit naptownthrift.com or visit his store in person at 2174 E. 54th St. in Indianapolis.

Show Highlights:

3:30-13:30: Aaron gets into his childhood and background, the formation of his music career, launching his thrift store business while attending Butler University, and where he found his passion for thrifting.
13:30-19:30: Aaron provides insight on the thrift market, educating people on the true value behind various products, and the tradeoffs of selling clothing online compared to the in-store experience.
19:30-27:30: Aaron gets into the meaning of "family-owned business," and what it's like to run Naptown Thrift with the help of his passionate parents. He also covers the thrifting process of finding products for his store, what has worked for him, and the best places to go.
27:30-39:00: Aarons talks about the importance of networking with other leaders in the industry, building a reputation in Indianapolis, and gaining feedback from customers.
39:00-46:00: We ask Aaron the biggest surprises of running a thrift store, important lessons he has learned as a business owner, and growing his social media following on Instagram.
46:00-53:30: We end the show talking about how Aaron blends his music career with his store and business venture with Naptown Thrift, his future vision for his business, and final advice to those starting a venture of their own.