From Snapchat to St. George thrift shop, here’s how these teens turned a hobby into a business

Written by Jessi Bang
November 8, 2023

ST. GEORGE — Looking to add some individual pizzazz to your wardrobe without emptying your pockets? This brand-new thift shop offers everything from hand-picked vintage apparel to upscaled items, all brought to you by local teens.  

(L-R) Brothers Dante Ochoa and Rio Ochoa stand behind the counter of Ocho Thrift in St. George, Utah, Nov. 6, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
(L-R) Brothers Dante Ochoa and Rio Ochoa stand behind the counter of Ocho Thrift in St. George, Utah, Nov. 6, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

On Saturday, over 300 people gathered for the grand opening of Ocho Thrift, owned by Rio Ochoa, 18, and his brother Dante Ochoa, 15.

“I’ve been thrifting my whole life — even before it was cool,” Rio Ochoa said. “And here, we design our own designs for half the store and the other half is just high-quality vintage that we sourced from around the country.”

Ocho Thrift features ’80s, ’90s and Y2K clothing for both men and women. While there is a large focus on men’s styles, the latest women’s fashion includes oversized shirts and pants, making the entire store unisex.

Along with hand-selected thrift clothing, the brothers are working with local seamstresses to upcycle clothing into their own designs, which they call “Ocho Originals.”

Dante Ochoa holds “Ocho Originals” inside his shop in St. George, Utah, Nov. 6, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

“Anybody can go thrifting,” Rio Ochoa said. “It’s available to anybody. But we’re doing the work picking. You wouldn’t believe how many bad things you have to go through just for one good thing. And then that one thing is thrashed and has stains on it, so we have to fix it and clean it.”

Jeans made into bags, corduroy Carhartt jackets stitched together to create a one-of-a-kind coat and material added to jeans to create a unique flair are just some of the items seen in-store.

Some of the coolest items they’ve found so far? An ’80s Grateful Dead T-shirt and a premium condition ’90s Dior tracksuit. 

“Thrifting is my favorite thing,” Dante Ochoa said. “I’m always thinking about it, and I’ve just found a love for it.”

The idea for the shop all started when Rio Ochoa began selling thrift clothing on his Snapchat stories. The sales grew so quickly that he and his brother soon purchased a storage unit to hold inventory.

Shoppers experience Ocho Thrift on its grand opening day in St. George, Utah, Nov. 4, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Darla Ochoa, St. George News
Shoppers experience Ocho Thrift on its grand opening day in St. George, Utah, Nov. 4, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Darla Ochoa, St. George News

“Our friends would come out on the weekends and come buy some things,” Rio Ochoa said. “It started getting out to all of St. George, basically. We started selling out our units, and now we’re here.”

Ocho Thrift finds vintage clothing from places all over the country including California, Nevada, northern Utah and more. Rio Ochoa is the “picker” who travels and sources inventory for the shop. Dante Ochoa is connected to the schools, which helps bring in customers. The brothers work together to keep the shop clean, the items tagged and the customers happy.

The boys’ mother Darla Ochoa said it’s been extremely rewarding watching her kids work hard to build something of their own. They spent their time brainstorming the concept of the shop and business and brought it to life with their own hard work and dedication, she said.

“It’s so cool to see them put all their creative energy into something that St. George needs, first of all,” she said. “Based on the turnout on Saturday, it’s going to do very well and we’re excited to see where it goes.”

While kids can go to the mall to shop and look like everyone else, she said, most kids want to be individuals with their own styles. When they walk into Ocho Thrift, they know they’ll walk out with items no one else has. The shop also allows shows that individual style can also be affordable, she said.

Vintage and upcycled clothing hang inside Ocho Thrift in St. George, Utah, Nov. 6, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Vintage and upcycled clothing hang inside Ocho Thrift in St. George, Utah, Nov. 6, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

As for future plans, the brothers hope to create their own unique online clothing brand.

Ocho Thrift is located at 1330 W. Sunset Boulevard Suite K, in St. George. See their website for more information or find @thriftocho on Instagram and TikTok.

“We try to bring the highest quality clothes for a fair price,” Rio Ochoa said. “We really enjoy what we do and enjoy making connections with the community.”

Photo Gallery

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessi Bang was born and raised in Utah and has a passion for nature and the great outdoors. She graduated from Kaplan University in California with a degree in criminal justice. She has extensive experience in marketing, content creation, photography and copywriting. You can find her showcasing outdoor adventures through her blog, “The Rambling Raccoon.” In her free time, she enjoys climbing mountains, trail running, working out and cuddling her two lovable pups.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!