Thrifting pro turns hobby into shopping service

Diana Janzen can claim responsibility for her granddaughter’s career.

She’s the one who introduced Aftyn Janzen to the joys of thrifting, finding value in something someone else no longer needs, wants or appreciates.

Now, Aftyn Janzen has turned that longtime enjoyment into a shopping service she named The Green Penny. While many of her secondhand wares fall into the midcentury modern category, she doesn’t limit her shopping – or her vision for an object.

Janzen operates The Green Penny out of her home, and appointments can be made by contacting her through her Facebook page. Another way is through pop-up shops. Janzen offered her first pop-up in September 2020. Her next one is scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Hi-Fi Hair.

The hair salon’s owner, Jeff Gimenez, met Janzen when she walked in his door and gave him a gift: a vintage can of hairspray.

“That’s up on my shelf now,” he said. “The colors fit right into our branding colors.”

Gimenez opened his hair salon about nine months ago and designed it in a midcentury modern vibe. He wants customers to feel as though they have just stepped into their cool aunt and uncle’s basement from the 1960s. He plays vinyl records and brings in DJs to play the first and third Fridays of the month.

“The aesthetic will just fit right in here,” he said of Janzen’s pop-up. “I love what she’s trying to accomplish, and with pop-up shops … I have a chance to get new people through the door and see what we’re trying to do here.”

For her part, Janzen had heard about the atmosphere Gimenez created at Hi-Fi Hair. She knew the setting would be perfect for an event that she’s planning around not just couples for Valentine’s Day but also in a “Gal-entine’s Day” theme. It will celebrate love between parent and child, best friends and all other relationships, Janzen said.

As a new business owner, she also has been introducing herself to similar small enterprises, seeking connections and support.

“I can see similar crowds coming through that would be interested in The Green Penny,” Janzen said. “It seems like a natural fit. And now that I’ve made some connections, I get support from people when they message you online, and it’s amazing how much it can keep you going and motivate you.”

A Lincoln High School graduate, Janzen attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. After graduation, she worked in several small businesses in what could be described as officer manager and marketing roles.

She left Sioux Falls in 2005 never expecting to return. Life twists and turns, however, and she’s glad to find herself back home. Part of that is the chance to go thrifting once again with her grandmother, who lives in Parker. When weather prevents Diana Janzen from coming along, she gives her a granddaughter a list of what she should look for, Janzen said.

Diana Janzen enjoys collecting items, as did Janzen’s late grandfather, Robert “Bob” Janzen, who focused on coins.

“She is the first person I started going to garage sales with, and that kind of showed me the world of secondhand items, finding things that are often affordable when you’re a young person and don’t have a lot of money,” Janzen said. “That’s come in handy different times. Moving back, being close to her, has been one of the biggest joys of being back in Sioux Falls.”

Janzen started her own landscaping business when she returned to Sioux Falls, but South Dakota’s limited growing season means she needs an occupation in the colder months. With the encouragement of her grandmother and her sister, Bailey Carmany, Janzen decided to turn her love of vintage shopping into a business.

“I decided to give it a go selling it rather than buying it as a consumer who likes vintage,” Janzen said.

Janzen seeks out items at estate sales, garage sales and “anywhere and everywhere.” She posts her finds on Facebook, finding an eager audience online. Janzen decided to periodically open up her home to shoppers to give them the chance to see the items firsthand and explore what else she has to offer.

Vintage clothing — particularly for children — generally receives a good response online, as does boho wicker furniture. Janzen has learned different areas have different trends, so her collection of home decor, furniture and small knickknacks may have wider appeal elsewhere. The old quilts she finds are in demand now as makers turn them into jackets.

People wanting to expand their collection of vintage cameras, for example, ask Janzen to be on the lookout. And there’s always her grandmother to shop for, as well as herself. While she’s willing to part with almost anything she has collected, there’s one piece she intends to keep. It’s a chair made out of wood, carved in the shape of a hand. The user sits in the “palm.”

“I found the exact same chair, 6 inches shorter, listed for $17,000,” she said. “That a piece that I would have to get an amount for that would be life-changing or a deposit for a new home. Or any piece of my grandma’s or grandpa’s I would never part with.”

As The Green Penny grows, the possibility of a brick-and-mortar storefront hangs in the back of Janzen’s mind. First, though, there’s the next pop-up. A local card-maker will have her wares present at the event. Janzen’s sister, who designed The Green Penny logo, also will take part. She will offer individual paintings of couples in time for Valentine’s Day.

Upcoming event

The Green Penny will offer a pop-up shop from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Hi-Fi Hair in Nordic Hall, 218 W. 13th St.