Local entrepeneur sells what mom threw out
Every person has a few nostalgic items that bring them back to a simpler, more carefree time. But sometimes, these items become forgotten, and then get sold at a garage sale or given away to a local charity.
That's where Dustin Redmond comes in.
Redmond hasn't been in town long, but he is already starting to make a mark with his own business from home, started in November, called "Stuff Your Mom Threw Out." The web-based store, at www.stuffyourmomthrewout.com, sells used books, movies, music, video games and accessories and allows other people to trade in their own gear for store credit, cash or other merchandise.
Dustin said he got the idea while visiting a similar store in Louisville, Ky.
"The people were really friendly. It was a real nice place to hang out," he said.
After graduating with a masters degree in psychology from Iowa State University, Dustin and his wife Sarah moved to Greencastle after Sarah was hired as part of the DePauw University faculty. After looking for work of his own, Dustin instead decided to make this a career. He hopes to one day open his own store, and make this a full-time job.
"I think it comes to a point now where I couldn't get away from it if I wanted to," Dustin said.
Dustin remembers playing the Nintendo Entertainment System when he was 5 years old, and he has been hooked ever since. His living room is filled with various movies and video games, and he said he couldn't part with any of them even if he wanted to.
"I've really come to enjoy the media, especially RPG's (role playing games)," Dustin said.
To jump start his inventory, Dustin scoured sites like E-Bay and Craigslist for cheap items for his store. During the Christmas season, he experienced a lot of traffic, but business has slowed down since.
Dustin is working with DePauw to host video game tournaments at Mason Jar in the basement of Mason Hall, with the first being last Friday. He worked with Jeannette Johnson-Licon, coordinator of LGBT Services, to set up the event in the newly remodeled basement.
"(Dustin) is a real nice guy," Johnson-Licon said. "It's a good use of the space."
When people began to arrive to the event at 5 p.m., the room was filled with different video game consoles and games. The main event was a Halo 2 tournament on two large TV screens. Dustin also brought out a Dance Dance Revolution pad and other games such as Super Smash Brothers Melee, Need for Speed and Duck Hunt.
"This feels pretty good," Dustin said. "It's almost making me think that I'd be better off running an arcade or lounge."
Dustin has been getting advertisement about his business out, placing cards at Dairy Castle and on top of each of the consoles at his tournament. He hopes that business will pick up again soon. But regardless, he is doing something he loves, and is happy to test out equipment that gets traded in to him.
"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't fun," Dustin said.