One day a local mom-to-be asked if she could come into my home to try on a piece of clothing, and well…
the shop was born.
Get it? Because the shop sells maternity clothing?
Funny right?
With hundreds of maternity and nursing pieces in stock at any given time, this shop is dedicated to you.
How it all started…
Heya! I'm Anna Ruck. I'm a Canadian mama of two boys, aged 3 and 6, and I'm the woman behind this shop.
And I started my adventure of becoming a store owner completely by accident.
One evening I was in a purging mood and decided it was time to part with my vast collection of maternity and nursing clothing. Two beautiful boys later, our family was complete and I wanted to rehome my pieces, especially considering that I’m a fashion fanatic and had far too many of them.
So, I created an Instagram account, snapped a few photos, and started posting what I had to sell. I threw in some cute outfits my kids had grown out of and thought once it was all sold, I’d be done.
But then one day, a local mom-to-be contacted me, interested in purchasing a pair of maternity jeans I had posted. She had just bought some off Facebook Marketplace, brought them home, and to her dismay realized they didn’t even fit. She inquired about whether or not she would be able to come into my home to try mine on, so I obliged.
Back then, my home office doubled as my storage area for the pieces I was posting. It was all in bins, as my shelving was decorated to fit perfectly Pinterestable standards and my clothing rack served as a cute prop. But, I hung up the jeans she was interested in trying on, and anything else I had to offer her and invited her inside.
When she arrived she remarked on just how inviting my space was, and how well-suited it was for trying on clothing, considering I already had a clothing rack, shelving, and even a giant mirror.
She left with not only that pair of jeans but a handful of other maternity pieces.
And then she came back, twice more, to complete her pregnancy wardrobe.
That’s when I realized that I needed to keep going, beyond selling my own wardrobe.
Slowly but surely, I started receiving messages about whether I had this style or that one, another size, or a piece that would be suitable for an upcoming occasion.
And that’s when I realized that I needed to keep going, beyond selling my own wardrobe.
Local mothers in the Kingston, Ontario, area were desperate for a dedicated maternity and nursing clothing store since we don’t have a single one.
Let alone one where you can actually try on the clothing.
So little by little, lot by lot, purchased and donated from local mothers, I started working to keep the secondhand cycle going.
And one thousand loads of laundry later, I’ve kept it going to this day.
Struck by Secondhand now carries hundreds of pieces at any given time, regardless of season or size, it’s likely here at the shop, for your perusal both online, and in-person by appointment.
Struck by Secondhand Today
Today, 2 years into this venture, hundreds of pieces have been sold and cycled from one mother to another. The shop was awarded two Community Votes awards in both years, a gold and silver accreditation in the Maternity Clothing category in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Currently, thanks to community donations and support from local parents, the shop has been able to further assist local mothers and parents in the community by sharing overstock and hosting donation drives with Kingston-based organizations such as Mea Pregnancy Support Services, YGK Thrift, The Doula Support Foundation, and the Kingston General Hospital NICU.
As there is always more clothing that needs to be rehomed than there is space, Struck by Secondhand is always looking for like-minded partners and community groups who similarly believe in supporting sustainability and collaborative spaces for young families. Should you have an idea as to how we may be able to work together, please be in touch.
Pst, the playroom seen here is steps from the shop door and your littles are welcome to use it while you browse and try things on!
