Sadie Meade is a Connecticut native who earned her undergraduate degree in painting at Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts. She also earned an MFA in printmaking from Ohio University. Sadie managed the bar at the now-defunct Corner on Union in Athens and worked at the West End Ciderhouse and Distillery.
When the COVID pandemic hit, leaving her on unemployment, she started volunteering at the Thrift before it had even opened. Once it did, she was hired on as a retail staff associate. After a few months, she was promoted to a supervisor role and was now the manager of Upcycle Ohio, before transitioning to her new role as Workforce Development Director.
“As a career path this suits me a lot better,” Sadie says. “At the Thrift, I have agency in the workplace, which doesn’t always happen when you are in service work.”
Sadie is an avid, lifelong thrifter.
“I still thrift in my free time all the time,” she says. “ I have two days off and I’m often making day trips to neighboring towns. It’s my research and development. When I see how other stores are processing inventory, pricing products, and displaying items, it gives me ideas on how we can rearrange our store.”