our story

Hi friend!

I’m Chelsea, the owner and force behind Artemis Plus Thrift. I’ve always loved buying my clothes secondhand because it’s a more sustainable choice and let’s be real-it’s also less expensive than shopping retail prices! But, like many of you, I found a lack of thrift shops near me that carried secondhand clothes over a size XL.

My dream for creating a plus size focused thrift shop began with launching Artemis in 2021 on Instagram. I was a little unsure of how it would go, but knew I could make a difference in making thrifting more inclusive. I began selling my own clothes and then networking with people in my local community who also shared the vision of a place to both buy and sell their clothes.

Pretty quickly I sourced enough inventory to offer fun, weekly collection “drops” to my Instagram followers. My collections were selling out fast and going to customers all over the U.S. I saw firsthand how needed a claimed space was for our bodies and sizes, and how few plus size thrift stores exist all over the country.

I’ve lived in a fat body most of my life, and I understand the ways that our diet culture affects our body image and confidence. I created Artemis to be a space that helps heal that. A place that welcomes our sizes and bodies, and even challenges you to celebrate the body you’re in without any need to change it.

I chose the name Artemis because she was my personal symbol of bravery during my own period of scary life changes. Artemis was a goddess of the hunt and moon, often illustrated as an archer carrying her bow at her side. I felt a bit like her at that time, shooting an arrow into an unknown future and hoping everything would be ok. Artemis personified being brave, believing in myself, and not being afraid to try.

I hope in joining our community that feeling will also find its way to you! I believe we are all inherently beautiful, and that our confidence resides deep within each of us. At Artemis, we help each other celebrate our bodies and have fun finding great clothes that express who we are!

Happy Thrifting!