A self-described cross between a treasure-seeker and a scavenger, Meridith Ross has found the perfect profession.

The owner of Tarentum’s newest second-hand store, Redefined @ 4th, Ross said the business allows her inner artist to shine.

“I love to pick, and I’ve always loved to refurbish,” said Ross, a 1991 Highlands graduate.

“I’m a save-the-landfill kind of person.”

The store at 220 Fourth Ave. offers shoppers a bang for their buck. Seemingly every inch of the first floor is filled with repurposed furniture, car parts, vintage purses, quirky knickknacks and costume jewelry.

Before opening in January, Ross spent years going to estate sales, flea markets and thrift shops to see what sparked her spirit.

“I’ve been doing this for 25 years and my house is full,” Ross said, laughing. “I have four storage units, too.

“It was either open a store or get divorced.”

For years after leaving the Allegheny Valley, Ross lived in Missouri and, later, Texas. She and her six children spent a lot of time doing arts and crafts, she said. Her daughter Abreale and son Damien plan to help run the store.

Ross, now a Brackenridge resident, said her craftwork began with buying children’s clothes on eBay and “cutting them up, adding lace and making them unique.”

That led to refurbishing and painting her own furniture.

Soon, the hobby became a passion.

Inside her new store are large statement pieces that show off her talent. There is a pink vanity on which she painted floral designs and handcrafted detailed moldings.

There are dark-stained nightstands that Ross and her husband, Tim Graham, extracted from larger pieces of furniture.

The boho-inspired two- drawer shelves were sanded and painted with fusion mineral paint. They sell for $240 each, but Ross said she enjoys a good haggle.

“I think my prices are cheap to moderate, but people should never be afraid to bargain,” she said.

Many of the showpieces in her store were given new life.

“I found a hutch in the garbage last month and totally redid it,” Ross said. “It’s fabulous. Why would I leave it in the trash?

“I don’t throw anything away. I have antique tea cups that were chipped, so I painted them, put some plants in them and made them new again.”

A vintage credenza sideboard was customized into a moss green mini-bar. Sanded, distressed and sealed by Ross, the piece recently sold for $225.

Much of the large furniture pieces are posted to the store’s Facebook group page.

Ann Miller, a volunteer for the 71st annual Antiques Show in Lyndora, made it a point to stop at Redefined @ 4th and welcome Ross to the resale community.

“It’s wonderful to have all this renewed interest in the hobby,” Miller said.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, resale shops have catapulted into popularity in recent years. Goodwill Industries in 2017 reported having generated $5.9 billion in retail sales.

Online second-hand resale shop ThredUP predicts the market for used clothing will double in the next five years to reach $77 billion.

The pandemic has sent even more shoppers in search of reused and repurposed furniture, housewares and clothes, Ross said.

In Tarentum alone, there are three resale shops within a two-block area.

Miller said shoppers like to visit towns where they can hop from one to the next in search of unique finds.

“It’s a tight community, and it’s nice that everyone supports each other,” she said.

No matter how often people shop, they’ll find something new, Ross said.

She changes her floor plan every week. From vintage Pyrex to knitted pet sweaters to a 1930 Ford radiator shell, there is always something new to view.

The building’s basement and second floor are filled with vintage clothes, shoes, art and other treasures that will rotate through the showroom.

Ross said that while Facebook draws a lot of attention to her store, the locals have been supportive of the venture.

“So many people have stopped in to take a look,” she said.

“We grew up here, so we’re happy to contribute to the town’s growing success.”

Store hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)