JEDDAH: The practice of purchasing secondhand items is a little uncommon in Saudi society, which makes the Monochrome Thrift Shop distinctive. Faris Al-Manea, founder of Monochrome Thrift Shop, noticed that there was a lack of the thrift shop concept in Jeddah, which made him initiate it as a small business idea.   “The major reason I created the thrift store at first was that I was a thrifter and saw that Jeddah didn’t have many thrift stores at the time,” Al-Manea told Arab News. Monochrome Community created a place for people to gather and exchange ideas and businesses while enjoying shopping from local brands. (Supplied) After offering to help clients sell their used products online, he realized that many people were also selling books on the thrift store. “I made the decision to open a separate used bookstore with my then-business partner, Haya Moumin. Haya and I operated the Monochrome Book Store for about two years, during which time we developed the habit of holding events where customers could come peruse the books before making a purchase,” he said.   This sparked the idea of having a community that frequently has events for all people to enjoy, accompanied by live music shows, art, and different themes. Monochrome Community created a place for people to gather and exchange ideas and businesses while enjoying shopping from local brands. (Supplied) The concept for the Monochrome Community came from used book buyers and thrift store patrons who frequented the shop’s events, which brought people together. As the event grew in popularity, more brands were invited to sell their goods at the events, and not only used goods.   “We began working on our first event after I introduced the idea to my business partners Rayan Jubeihe and Amira Abbas and invited them to be on the team,” he said. Early in August 2023, they held a fashion event to officially launch the community. Following the inaugural event’s success, they scheduled nine events over six months, each with a distinct theme.   These events ranged from a flea market to fashion events hosted earlier this month, which were sponsored by energy drink Rockstar and water brand Aquafina, and included giveaways from radio station Mix FM. “Generally, we’ve done fashion night, board games, national day event, jam sessions, art events and a few more,” he said.   The community even captured the attention of the Saudi pop star Mishaal Tamer, who is a community friend and who gave them a shout-out.   Their event gathered more than 1,500 people interested in connecting with start-up businesses or thrift shopping, and many brands showcased their products as well including local upcycled bag brand Triad, Vues sunglasses, Egy System and much more. “The desire to unite our community — business owners and event attendees alike — was the driving force behind the decision to keep things straightforward,” he said. For more information about upcoming events, visit their Instagram @mc.cmty.