Get Cash For Clothes & Buy Great Brands At Uptown Cheapskate

Owner Amber Watt says business at Uptown Cheapskate in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center is better than ever, but if you have clothes you’d like to sell, come on in! (Photos: Charmaine George)

After the Covid-19 pandemic shut retailers down last spring, Uptown Cheapskate reopened in May 2020 with owner Amber Watt feeling cautiously optimistic that the store would be able to recover from the devastating hit it took during its closure in late-March and all of April.

What a difference a year makes.

The trendy resale clothing store in the Publix-anchored City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center is thriving — and continues to grow.

“We’ve been doing really great,” Amber says. “Every month is better than the last.”

In fact, the store’s sales are above where they were pre-Covid and it seems that, every month, there are even more customers looking for great deals on brand name items and wanting to sell their unwanted clothes. Amber thinks that’s because Uptown Cheapskate is a win-win for the community. 

First, the store pays cash for clothing, shoes and handbags that are just taking up space in your home.

Those items that you no longer want can put cash in your pocket and keep the clothes from hitting a landfill.

And that’s not the only environmental impact.

According to Uptown Cheapskate’s website at UptownCheapskate.com, buying used instead of new clothing can reduce your carbon footprint by at least 60 percent, more than if you were to quit using your car.

It’s also a lot easier on your wallet, with prices on “upcycled” clothing at Uptown Cheapskate selling for a mere fraction of what the on-trend, designer pieces sell for new at retail stores. The savings can be 70 to 90 percent.

Some popular brands the store currently sells — and is looking to buy — include American Eagle, Vans, adidas, lululemon, Levi’s, Free People, Nike, Coach, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, H&M and more.

Uptown Cheapskate is part of a national franchise that started in Salt Lake City in 2009, and now has 80 locations across the U.S., including three in Florida. At 4,800 square feet, the Tampa Palms location is larger than most Uptown Cheapskate stores, which are typically closer to around 3,000 square feet.

The large store means lots of inventory for shoppers, and it’s all kept organized and neat, to feel more like an upscale boutique than a thrift store.

While Covid had its impact, the store is pretty much back to pre-pandemic protocols. Employees are wearing masks, but vaccinated customers are not required to wear masks in the store. And, all dressing rooms are open.

With 4,800-sq. ft. of space, and an ever-changing inventory, there are plenty of options for the thrifty shopper to find designer styles at great prices at Uptown Cheapskate in Tampa Palms. 

Amber says customers love when the store offers additional deals, such as the recent Dollar Days, which ended July 18. During this sale, clearance items were sold for as little as a $1. Also, the state of Florida’s sales tax holiday for back-to-school is being held now through August 9, which will save customers the 7.5% sales tax typically charged at the store.

While sales at Uptown Cheapskate are brisk, Amber says that means there’s a constant need for new items to sell.

“We still need more stuff,” she says. “Especially spring and summer items — we cannot get enough of those here in Florida.”

While Uptown Cheapskate buys all seasons all year ‘round, Amber says Florida is essentially a one-season state and items for warm weather are always in the greatest demand.

“We never have enough shorts, tank tops, short sleeves and dresses,” she says, adding that the local Uptown Cheapskate store just added a vintage corner for the first time.

“It’s so fun,” says Amber of her new vintage department, “and very popular right now.”

Amber says windbreakers are flying off the shelves, along with oversized sweatshirts and graphic tees from the 1980s and ‘90s. 

While she says a lot of the store’s customers are USF students, there also are a lot of customers from both New Tampa and Wesley Chapel.

If you want to sell clothing and other items to the store, just stop in anytime it’s open, but always bring in your items at least one hour before closing. 

Sellers receive a cash offer for any items the store wants to buy, or 25 percent more if they choose store credit instead of cash. If any items are not purchased by the store, the seller has the option to leave them to be donated to the Salvation Army, which picks up from the Tampa Palms location two or three times a week. You can always choose to keep them if you prefer.

With customer service and a boutique atmosphere the priorities of the store, shopping at Uptown Cheapskate won’t feel like thrift store shopping. Even as shoppers rave about how neat and tidy the store is, and the great customer service, Amber strives to keep improving.

“We’ve been trying to step up our game in terms of organization,” she says. “We are making things more consistent, and becoming even more detail-oriented.”

Amber says she pushes her team every day towards her goal of “making sure the experience is perfect every time.”

Uptown Cheapskate is located at 16031 Tampa Palms Blvd. W. Store hours are Monday–Thursday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and noon-6 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call (813) 287-8696 or visit UptownCheapskate.com.

Uptown Cheapskate Can Turn Your Unwanted Clothes Into Cash!

Uptown Cheapskate Tampa Palms owner Amber Watt.

We bet you didn’t realize that there’s money hiding in your closets. It’s sitting there right now. And no, we’re not talking about that $20 bill you found in your jacket pocket, so continue reading if you need a little Covid-19 cash boost. You really can find some convertible cash on your hangers, in your drawers and sitting on your shoe racks.

Thanks to Uptown Cheapskate — a chain of fashion retail stores that are similar to a thrift store but with more upscale, designer-label items — the clothes, shoes and accessories you no longer want, may be of resale value to you. The 4,800 sq.-ft. store that opened in the Publix-anchored City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center back in November of 2018 has re-emerged from a temporary Covid-19 closure in need of more trendy clothing and accessory items that you may have outgrown or stopped wearing or using for whatever reason.

Every day, the local Uptown Cheapskate buys your items from the time they open up until an hour before closing. There’s no appointment necessary, but the staff does prefer that your former fashions arrive in hampers or bins. You can shop while one of Uptown’s 12 employees sorts through to find inventory they need. From there, your “upcycled” clothes go through an appraisal system that generates two offers. You can choose cash or store credit — the latter yields an extra 25-percent value.

So, what should you be looking for the next time you clean out your closets? Uptown Cheapskate Tampa Palms owner Amber Watt says the store accepts a plethora of name brands, and fashions ranging from XS-XXL. The store is particularly in need of high-waisted “mom” shorts and jeans, crop tops, tank tops, shirts and trendy, summery pieces from brands like Zara and H&M.

“We cater to a very wide range of people and that’s what makes us so successful,” says Watt, who adds that she regularly shopped at Goodwill as a youngster before attending West Virginia University in Morgantown on a full academic scholarship and studying engineering.

Watt’s store is one of three in Florida from this national franchise that includes more than 80 locations in two dozen states. It launched in Utah more than a decade ago., and the Tampa Palms store is the only one in the Tampa Bay area. Watt says it was doing very well until the novel coronavirus forced a temporary shutdown in March.

“It hit us pretty hard,” says Watt, who was very happy that Publix, the landlord for the plaza, issued her a rent abatement for two months. “We were having a pretty strong Saturday in the middle of March and by the next Saturday, we were completely shut down. We did start an online store over the break (Uptown-Cheapskate-Tampa-Palms.myshopify.com) and were able to keep some of the staff on. It helped, but it wasn’t what we needed.”

Uptown Cheapskate reopened at 25-percent capacity during the first week of May and went to 50 percent by the end of that month. It returned to full capacity by June, along with some new changes.Sneeze guards have been installed on all of the counters and stickers are now on the floor depicting the 6-feet social distancing space.

All employees must wear face masks and customers are required to as well. The store provides free disposable face masks for customers and also sells double-layer cloth masks. All six dressing rooms are sanitized and locked each time a customer uses one, and hand sanitizer is available at all stations. 

We Want Your Clothes!

“It was surprising when we reopened,” Watt says. “We expected a lot of pent-up demand to sell us clothes, but when we reopened, it was really the opposite. We had a lot of customers shopping for clothes, but not selling us (their) clothes. We were unprepared for that, so we’ve depleted our inventory quite badly and really need spring and summer clothes now. We hope everyone will clean out their closets and bring their clothes to us. ”

Whether shopping or selling, Watt prides herself on keeping a clean, organized store where customer service is paramount. Clothes are organized by size, then subcategorized by short/long and further by color groupings. The experience was something that Ashlee Fredrickson felt compelled to share on Facebook after recently making the drive from Brandon to shop there.

 “Clean store,” she said. “Plenty of safety measures in place with recent Covid-19 issues. Great selection and great prices.”

Any time you visit, shoppers should look for stickers. Depending upon the color, there’s various discounts available — as much as 70-percent off retail. Uptown Cheapskate puts new items out within 30 minutes of bringing them in and many are gone within a week. For other items that literally hang around longer, the local store offers a semi-annual sale to push through old inventory and make room for the new styles that come in every day.

Other deals to look out for include Dollar Days — where clearance items go for as low as a $1 — and the tax-free weekend August 7-9, where you save the 8.5% sales tax.

Watt says that plus sizes are hard to keep in stock and the handbag rack also is a popular display. The store also always needs shoes, especially men’s athletic footwear, and offers a wide range of bralets, complete outfits, swimwear and new and used jewelry. The casual clothing store caters to everyday wear fashions – primarily for the age 18-55 crowd.

Customer favorites include brands such as lululemon and Gymshark athletic wear, Kate Spade and Michael Kors handbags and American Eagle jeans. You will find everything from Target brands up to Gucci and Louis Vuitton. On a recent visit ,we found a Coach purse for $22.99, Victoria Secret leggings for $13.99, Adidas shoes for $27.99 and an almost new men’s Ralph Lauren Polo shirt for $13.99.

Anything that the store doesn’t purchase from you can easily be donated to the Salvation Army, which picks up donations onsite 2-3 times a week. You can leave them behind and you’ll receive a tax receipt. It’s better than having your unwanted clothes end up in a landfill, Watt says.

“Resale is on the rise,” she says. “It’s the future — for environmental reasons. Clothing in a landfill lasts up to 200 years. But, your trash might just be somebody else’s treasure.” 

Whether or not you think you have a few dollars hanging in your closet, head over to Uptown Cheapskate at 16031 Tampa Palms Blvd. W. Store hours are Monday–Thursday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and noon-6 p.m. on Sunday. For more info, call (813) 287-8696 or visit UptownCheapskate.com.

Get Great Deals & More At Uptown Cheapskate

A self-described “lifelong thrifter” who has always wanted to open her own business, Amber Watt’s dream has come true with her upscale resale boutique, Uptown Cheapskate, located in the former Ellen’s Hallmark space in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center.

Uptown Cheapskate opened on Nov. 8. Since then, the store has been growing in popularity, as men and women discover they can not only buy trendy, brand-name clothes at prices that are 70-90 percent off of retail prices, they also can sell their unwanted clothes for cash or store credit.

The store is part of a national franchise that started in Salt Lake City in 2009, and now has 70 locations across the U.S., including three in Florida. At 4,800 square feet, the Tampa Palms location is larger than most Uptown Cheapskate stores, which are typically about 3,000 square feet.

The large store means lots of inventory for shoppers, and it’s all kept organized and neat, to feel more like an upscale boutique.

And, the way Amber and the store’s nine employees treat customers is boutique-like, too. 

“Customer service is our top priority,” says Amber. “We greet every customer and will pull items out of back stock to help a customer find the perfect piece. Our staff continues to receive five-star reviews (on social media) for customer service.”

Angela Tamecki is one customer who has taken notice. “I’ve shopped at resale shops for a long time because you get great deals,” says Angela, a Pebble Creek resident who says she used to drive to South Tampa to go to thrift shops, but now visits Uptown Cheapskate more than once a week. “It’s a different environment. I don’t even think of it as a thrift store, because it’s more upscale.”

Angela says the store’s staff members are warm and welcoming, coming out from behind the counter to help her. 

“Even after I’d only been there a couple times, they seem to know what brands I like,” she says. “It really shows that they want to take care of their customers.”

Amber says that out of necessity, she shopped at Goodwill and other thrift stores growing up. After high school, she attended West Virginia University on a full academic scholarship, where she studied engineering.

She then worked as an industrial engineer in the aerospace industry for Boeing and Honeywell for 12 years.

She says, “I enjoyed the challenge of it and was proud of what I was working on,” including Chinook helicopters for the military. “But it was always my goal to open my own business, and being an engineer was my stepping stone to get here.”

Clothes For A Good Cause


Uptown Cheapskate in Tampa Palms owner Amber Watt wants your old clothes before they end up in a landfill. She’ll pay cash or give you a store credit, plus donate anything she doesn’t buy.

Amber and her husband Zach have three elementary school-aged children. She says they are all supportive of her dream to own this business. She adds that Uptown Cheapskate is a perfect fit for her, with her love of fashion, experience with resale, and even her passion for caring for the environment.

“North America sends 9.5 million tons of clothing to landfills each year,” explains Amber. “Recycle them to Uptown Cheapskate instead! Even if you buy it used from us and then wear it a couple of times, if it’s still in great condition, sell it back to us. We don’t want it to end up in a landfill.”

Sell Your Clothes, Too

Uptown Cheapskate accepts clothes for all seasons, all year long. That means you can sell your winter items now, even though no one is interested in buying them. Amber stores them until they are back in season and ready to go out on the sales floor.

Amber also says she is always in need of more clothes, especially men’s clothes. She promises the process is quick, and you can even drop off clothes and come back later for your cash payout or store credit. Sellers receive 25 percent more for their items if they choose store credit instead of cash.

Shoppers can save even more money if they both sell and buy on the same day. Because of tax laws, Amber says if you sell your clothes to Uptown Cheapskate and then use the store credit to make a same-day purchase, you don’t have to pay the 8.5-percent Hillsborough County sales tax. 

If your purchase amount exceeds the store credit offer, only the difference will be taxed. Unused store credits remain on your account for three years, but purchases made on future days do require sales tax to be paid on them.

Partners In The Community

Uptown Cheapskate gives back to the New Tampa community in several ways.

The store has a partnership with the Salvation Army. When you bring your clothes to sell to Uptown Cheapskate, any “no-thank-you items” that the store doesn’t purchase can be donated directly to Salvation Army, and you get a receipt, without having to make a second trip.

Amber also notes that Uptown Cheapskate partners with several local schools, including Wharton and Wiregrass Ranch high schools and Chiles Elementary, to offer gift certificates to a teacher or other staff member each month. She also provides gift certificates for a student recognition program at Wharton. Teachers and students also get a 15-percent discount every Monday.

The store’s next popular “fill a bag” sale is scheduled for Friday-Saturday, April 26-27. On those days, Uptown Cheapskate will provide a bag for customers to stuff all the specially-marked product they can fit, then take the entire bag home for $15. Anyone who participates in the sale also gets 15-percent off the rest of the items in the store.

“The deals are amazing,” says Angela. “They’ve got such a great inventory, including things I couldn’t afford to splurge on in a retail store. I’ve seen everything from mall brands to Prada. I don’t know how many people realize you can get those kinds of deals on things like that.”