Thrifting, at your fingertips

If you find Paul Davis (EnvE’26) on campus, he might stand out for a few reasons: maybe you saw him on field at the last CMU football game, streamed his original music or podcast on Spotify, or were struck by his seemingly endless rotation of unique and trendy outfits.

Up to 90% of Davis’ closet is secondhand – an envy of thrifting lovers and a passion that drove his college career down the entrepreneurship path with his startup, Thursday Thrift. Since his high school days in South Carolina, Davis has been flipping through racks of pre-owned clothing, fueling his love for sustainable fashion that would one day grow into his very own company. 

Thrifting is about discovery and creativity, and I want to help people shop in a way that’s both personal and sustainable.

Paul Davis, Environmental Engineering undergraduate student

Although, when any type of shopping becomes a hobby, excess is inevitable. During his first year at Carnegie Mellon, Davis found himself with an abundance of pre-loved items and the curse of a small dorm closet. The dilemma inspired the idea for his first thrifting pop-up shop on campus in November 2023, a huge success that led to a consistent time slot at the Cohon University Center throughout the spring. Come summer 2024, Davis was brainstorming how to leverage this momentum and scale the experience to a wider audience.

“I’ve always been interested in the crossroads between sustainability and technology, so an app seemed like the logical next step,” explained Davis, who now leads the company as CEO. “But I quickly realized the real opportunity wasn't just to build a better marketplace, it was to build the entire operating system for secondhand and thrifting.”

The goal was to replicate the thrifting experience on your phone. Unlike regular clothing shopping, thrifting creates a feeling of serendipity when you stumble across a hidden gem. Through a swipe-based interface that curates clothing based on users’ personal style, color palettes, brands, and fit preferences, Thursday Thrift accomplishes exactly that – and all at your fingertips.

New items launch in the app every Thursday, giving users a fresh “rack” of options and a playful, gamified shopping experience. Incorporating AI tools that personalize recommendations, users can discover styles they might not have considered otherwise, while keeping sustainability at the core of the shopping experience. “But this marketplace is truly just the beginning,” Davis notes. “The app’s primary function is to serve as a data engine. The real innovation is our Vintage Operating System, a powerful dashboard that will give our professional seller partners the data and tools they need to grow their secondhand businesses, turning their passion into a scalable career.”

The Carnegie Mellon ecosystem has been critical to Thursday Thrift’s development. Davis credits resources like the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship, classes such as AI Venture Studio, and mentorship from experienced founders for helping the team refine their business model, connect with investors, and navigate the startup journey.

“CMU has big thinkers everywhere,” he said. “The support we’ve gotten from mentors, classmates, facilities, and even Amazon Web Services credits has made it possible to bring our idea to life.”

And Thursday’s efforts have already seen tangible success: Through a series of 15+ campus pop-ups, the company has generated over $25,000 in gross merchandise value, amassed a waitlist of over 2,000 users, and partnered with over 40 secondhand sellers. The startup also placed first in the McGinnis Venture Competition, gaining further mentorship and funding opportunities. With an official app launch planned for Summer 2026, Davis and the team are looking beyond campus to partner with other colleges, run ambassador programs, and scale Thursday Thrift to reach a national audience.

As CEO, Davis is now leading the company into its next chapter. The company is currently raising a pre-seed funding round to accelerate the app’s launch and expand the team.

“Thrifting is about discovery and creativity, and I want to help people shop in a way that’s both personal and sustainable,” Davis said. “Our hope is that Thursday doesn’t just make secondhand fashion more accessible, but also shows that you can build something meaningful while staying true to your values.”