South Tacoma’s Black Sheep Resale reopens after burglary

Black Sheep Resale, a second-hand boutique that is a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community, has reopened after a break in that resulted in over $5000 worth of cash and items being stolen.

Just three weeks after opening in January, Black Sheep Resale, a second-hand resale shop in south Tacoma, was burglarized. Intruders came in through the ceiling of the shop, stole over $5000 in cash and merchandise and caused hundreds of dollars in damages. Due to damages and theft, the resale boutique was forced to shut down temporarily. 

Faeryn Stephens, Black Sheep Resale co-owner, says after the break-in, she and her business partner questioned if staying open was the best option for the business. 

“With all that said, to do what we did and then to have push back and then to have all this stuff like it felt really disheartening, like did we make a mistake? Is Tacoma not ready for this?” Stephens said.

Stephens explained, in the beginning, when Black Sheep Resale came out as a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community, the shop began to lose followers online and some customers stopped shopping in-store. Stephens says it felt overwhelming to think about staying open. 

After the break-in, the community showed support through online messages and donations to the Black Sheep Resale GoFundMe, Stephens and her business partner decided reopening was a must.

“The outpouring of support, now that people know what we’ve been going through and that we exist, is really heartening. People are coming in specifically because they found out about us because of what happened. They now know we are a safe space (for the LGBTQIA+ community) and (Black Sheep Resale) is making an impact… The amount of direct messages from people in the community, other businesses, and members of the queer community and the non-queer community reaching out to show support has been very positive. So, that’s been really good,” Stephens said.

After closing their doors for a week to assess damages and discern reopening procedures, Black Sheep Resale reopened on February 17, exactly one month after opening their doors to the public. 

Offering sizes from extra small to 3X, Black Sheep Resale seeks to create an inclusive, safe, and positive shopping experience for customers.

Black Sheep Resale describes their items as curated, pre-loved, vintage, and modern clothing items. The shop’s goal is to offer unique fashion-forward items from designer brands, while cultivating a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community to connect in Tacoma’s south end. 

“We have unique, weird, eclectic clothes, yes that’s technically what we do to survive under capitalism, but being a part of the community, and meeting people and forming bonds, that’s the most important part,” Stephens said.

Black Sheep Resale is now open during their regular business hours. Shopping hours are Monday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Buying hours are Thursday through Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Black Sheep Resale buys gently used, high quality vintage and unique style items. Donations are also accepted, as space allows.

Black Sheep Resale plans to host community events in the future, such as movie nights, fashion competitions and a Twilight Market. Information on upcoming events and specialty markets can be found on the shop’s Instagram account @BlackSheepResale

Black Sheep Resale is located at 4020 Steele Street #106, Tacoma, WA 98409.