Uptown Cheapskate

About Us – Uptown Cheapskate

The Beginning of Uptown Cheapskate

Uptown Cheapskate opened its doors in 2009 in Salt Lake City, Utah, but the idea for a trendy resale clothing store catering to teens and young adults began to take shape years earlier. Chelsea Sloan Carroll, co-founder of Uptown Cheapskate, had the vision of starting a resale business before leaving for a church mission in Anchorage, Alaska, in 2006. Upon returning from her mission, Chelsea, alongside her brother Scott Sloan, began making plans to launch what would become Uptown Cheapskate.

A Family Tradition of Entrepreneurship

Chelsea and Scott came from an entrepreneurial family, and their experience in the resale business started early. Their parents, Brent and Shauna Sloan, founded Kid to Kid in 1992, a successful resale franchise focused on children’s clothing, toys, baby gear, and maternity wear. With more than 100 locations in the U.S. and Portugal, Kid to Kid’s buy-and-sell model inspired the siblings to create a similar resale franchise for teens and young adults. Uptown Cheapskate was born with a chic vibe and an upscale approach to the resale business.

Early Success and Recognition

The Uptown Cheapskate business model proved successful early on, with the first franchise location opening shortly after the pilot store. The concept quickly gained recognition, earning a third-place prize in the Utah Student 25 competition in 2010 for student-launched businesses.

While pursuing a Business degree at the University of Utah, Chelsea earned significant accolades, including a spot on Inc. magazine’s 30 Under 30 list and becoming the first female to win the 2012 Entrepreneur’s Organization’s Global Student Entrepreneur Award (GSEA).

Expansion and Growth

Since its humble beginnings, Uptown Cheapskate has grown to more than 80 locations across 23 states. The franchise has established itself as a reliable source for stylish, affordable, and environmentally friendly fashion, continuing to expand with each passing year.

Commitment to Giving Back

At Uptown Cheapskate, we believe in the power of education and the importance of giving back. We are committed to helping children in villages around the world who attend schools with inadequate facilities or don’t attend school at all. Education is a fundamental human right, and we’ve partnered with buildOn to help break the cycle of poverty by building new schools in developing countries.

Our franchisees donate thousands of items to local charities every year, but our commitment to giving back extends beyond that.

Charity Fill-A-Bag Sales and Ongoing Support

Uptown Cheapskate hosts two annual Charity Fill-A-Bag Sales at our stores, supporting buildOn’s mission to build schools in the developing world. Customers pay a small donation (around $20) to fill a bag with as many items as they can, and all proceeds go directly to buildOn.