My name is Michelle LaPorte, but you can call me Mellie! The story behind Dunes Estate Sales actually began several years ago in the community of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada, where I have the pleasure of owning/operating Thrift Ahoy, a curated thrift shop.
Thrift Ahoy opened in late November, 2020. Yes! You read that correctly. In the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the middle of winter, and in a small seaside town. The decision was made after shedding lots of tears of uncertainty and frequent questioning of my sanity — but Thrift Ahoy became a reality with the help of my children, my circle of many good friends and a new community of locals who offered a hand.
Thrift Ahoy relies on donations for inventory and gives back 15% after operations to various charities. Donors choose the charity to benefit!
I’ve always enjoyed volunteering in some capacity and know that I need to keep volunteerism in my life. Over the years, as a single mother, I have certainly appreciated and needed the help of others to make it through life. Finding time to volunteer, mother and work was becoming more and more of a challenge. I began to wonder how I could do it all and feel satisfied.
I thought of this business model a few years ago, but tucked it away in my basket labeled, “crazy ideas.” In February 2020, I found myself unemployed and began to revisit this idea with fresh eyes.
Thrift Ahoy has given me the opportunity to be self-employed, to give back to the community and to go home at the end of the day feeling fulfilled and happy. It’s one of the best decisions of my life.
What I didn’t expect when I set out on the journey with Thrift Ahoy was that it would lead me to better understand the need in our region for a service designed to assist folks who are going through fundamental life-altering changes.
As the store became more established, I was being approached more and more to help folks with downsizing, purging, organizing and on-site property liquidation, and other life transitioning events – and I was happy to evolve with it, meeting the needs of our community.
From there, the idea for Dunes Estate Sales grew naturally — including the name itself. Sand dunes, which can be found at all of Nova Scotia’s beaches, are ever-changing with the winds and tides and time. What better way to represent the changes that we each face in life?
Dunes Estate Sales 