Second Life Upscale Resale has been a long-time supporter of PAWS Atlanta's mission. They've fostered many of our cats through the years, and are currently fostering Barbie! They are also committed donors to PAWS Atlanta, helping us to save homeless animals in need every day.

We recently chatted with Tanya, the founder and owner of Second Life, and she gave us the scoop on their history, mission, and goals. 

How did you first develop the idea for Second Life, and how did you get started?

The inspiration for Second Life came while visiting my hometown when I happened upon a resale boutique that donated their proceeds to an animal rescue. I already knew that I wanted to start my own business and wanted helping animals to be a big part of that, but the idea of combining these two passions hadn't occurred to me until that serendipitous day in June 2009.

It’s been a lot of hard work and there have been many challenging days, but distributing the grant checks to organizations like PAWS Atlanta, and receiving the happy stories of the animals helped makes it all worthwhile. We opened in January 2011, exactly 10 years to the day that our rescue pup, Lucky, jumped into our car, and we’ve been helping animals ever since.

You can read Second Life's full history here.

Tell us about the mission of Second Life.

Our mission is to provide much-needed cash donations to animal rescue organizations with the purpose of reducing pet overpopulation by promoting adoption, spay/neuter programs, and education/awareness. To achieve this mission, we offer a high-quality shopping experience in a clean, organized “upscale thrift store” with a focus on providing excellent customer service and great deals.

In a nutshell, Second Life is a non-profit organization founded in 2011. We run a community-focused upscale thrift store in Avondale Estates and an online store which allows us to raise funds to benefit animal rescues and spay/neuter programs.

When and how did you become passionate about helping animals?

I have always loved animals. Rescuing has been a part of my life from the beginning. My dad helped rescue homeless animals when I was young, and some of my earliest pictures are of me and our dog, Lucy, so it feels inevitable that I would grow up to be obsessed with dogs!

My husband and I started to get passionate about helping rescue animals after our 2nd foster dog, Lucky the Dalmatian, joined our family in 2001. We had just learned about the huge need for foster homes and wanted to help. Lucky had been returned to the rescue twice and deemed "unadoptable." However, from the moment he jumped in our car, he had our hearts wrapped around his paws. We can’t imagine what our lives would be like without him, and he inspired us to be more deeply involved in animal rescue.

Lucky represents why we do what we do. Animals change our lives, just as much if not more than we change theirs. We want to keep making dreams come true in Lucky’s honor. This is his legacy, and he lives on through Second Life.

What are your dreams for the future of Second Life? What is the biggest thing you’d like to accomplish next?

We recently reached the milestone of donating $2 million to over 70 animal charities, which is amazing, but we always want to do more! Our next big goal is reaching the $3 million milestone. We would also love to expand into more locations to reach more animal lovers and bargain shoppers who have the same commitment to helping homeless pets as we do.

Second Life is a community store that has succeeded thanks to our dedicated team of volunteers and employees, our generous donors, and our loyal customers. We are thankful for everyone who has helped us grow and thrive during the past 11+ years. They have made it a special place and we can’t wait to see what the future holds! 

How to Help Second Life

Interested in helping Second Life and their mission? You can donate, shop, volunteer, and promote their organization. Shop small. Shop Local. It’s a great place to find unique gifts for the holidays! 

secondlifeatlanta.org | 678-974-5671 | 1 N. Clarendon Avenue, Avondale Estates, 30002