Dying thrift store owner refused to take money, so customer came up with ingenious plan to help him retire

As small businesses struggle to stay afloat in a shifting retail economy, one man is working to retire a longtime shopkeeper by selling t-shirts to cover his exit from clothing retail. In a series of videos posted by @quintagevintage, a creator documents his mission to retire an elderly clothing store owner named Mr. Kim by rallying the internet to help sell 1,000 t-shirts. The campaign centers around one goal: raising $15,000, with every dollar going directly to Mr. Kim.

It all started after the creator visited Mr. Kim’s modest clothing store, Young Fashion, which he described as slow-moving and under-visited. Over time, he built a relationship with Mr. Kim and began showcasing the store’s vintage inventory, highlighting the value in pieces that had been sitting on shelves for years. He even showed Mr. Kim how an old jacket could fetch $250 online using a resale app. Despite the offers to buy in bulk or simply give him money, Mr. Kim repeatedly refused handouts. In the video, the creator stands beside him and asks, "You have a price you would do for everything?" They eventually agree on $16,000. After a handshake, the creator says, "Well, shake on it that we could do it."

From that moment, the plan was set. The creator explains directly in the video, "Now if we sell 1,000 t-shirts, we’re gonna make $15 a shirt and get Mr. Kim retired." The creator made it clear that none of this was about personal gain. In earlier clips, he explained how he was using sponsorship money, resale profits, and even printing resources from a designer in Texas to push the campaign forward. "If there is money to be made, I plan on spending it [in the shop] and giving it back to you," he told Mr. Kim. Though Mr. Kim doesn’t want to stop working entirely, the goal is to help him stop selling clothes — something he doesn't enjoy. Instead, the creator explained that he wants to keep selling jewelry.

Just like Mr. Kim, many small business owners across the US continue to operate despite mounting pressures. According to the US Chamber of Commerce's Q1 2025 Small Business Index, 35% of small business owners identified revenue as their primary concern, marking the highest level of revenue anxiety since 2021. Now, all the t-shirts, printed with Mr. Kim’s image and the Young Fashion logo, are being sold online. Every piece of profit, he says, goes back to the store. The campaign’s heartfelt nature has resonated deeply across social media platforms. As more videos show Mr. Kim’s humility and resistance to being seen as a charity case, viewers rally behind him even harder.

@jonathanalbin wrote, "Let's go IG let's help them out and get them together and give them the love they deserve!" @heidienrile commented, "I got mine. Thank you SO much for doing this. I'm sure this store is all they have. Though $15k won't be enough for them to live the rest of their days, I thank you for your help in any way! You are GOOD! Blessings Mr. & Mrs. Kim." @sdrplaysig said, "I'm so touched by your efforts that I have goosebumps." @axel_dav2013 added, "I'm going to like every vid so you get more money to retire him." @swimming.jpg wrote, "Mister Kim deserves a clothing line fr."

You can follow Quintage (@quintagevintage) on Instagram to know more about Mr. Kim's journey.