Apocalypse

In Greek, the original definition of “apocalypse” is “a cataclysmic revelation, especially concerning an event in which the forces of good permanently triumph over the forces of evil.” When Madison Moorhead decided to open her first resale shop, there was no better name to describe the mission of her work - promoting eco-aligned buying choices and clothing sustainability through secondhand shopping. In January of 2021, Apocalypse was born.

Before starting Apocalypse, Madison spent much of her life in the fashion and resale space. A Boulder local, she moved to San Francisco to attend the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, studying visual communications and personal & editorial styling. Following her education, she returned to Boulder and worked at Buffalo Exchange for three years in a management position.

“That space is where I fell in love with resale as a career path and lifestyle. I was drawn to the sustainability and the accessibility of fashion through the buy-sell-trade channel. I decided that this was what I wanted to do” said Moorhead.

She moved back to California to work for several resale stores in LA and learn more about the industry. Ultimately, she realized her heart was in Boulder. “I was born and raised here, so it really feels like home. I’m embedded in the resale community here.”

When the storefront for Buffalo Exchange (on Pearl Street’s East End) came up for sale in 2020, it was a perfect match. “I realized that this was the moment. There was an opening in the market, and I knew that my passion was to create a space for people to express themselves through style in a sustainable way.”

Apocalypse is a majority women-owned, family business. Madison is the co-owner along with her fiancé and chief financial officer, Jed Bickford. Over half of the staff has been formerly employed in resale in the community, so the team is exceptionally experienced. “We’re so lucky to have the team that we do. Our staff are all so ethics-focused and really want to make a change in the world – they give me so much hope for the future.” The resale industry is growing exponentially, and it is expected to nearly double over the coming years.

Interested in supporting this locally owned startup? “Expand your knowledge around the benefits of resale,” says Moorhead. “Shop on our fundraising days, where we give 20% of our daily revenue to mutual aids and communities that need support and visibility. Clean out your closets and sell to us! Your clothing helps us build our inventory and we pay you 30% of the resale value in cash or 50% in store credit.”

Apocalypse is a movement - doing good for the health of the planet, supporting the community and each person’s unique expression along the way.

You can find Apocalypse on Instagram at @disco.apocalypse and online at discoapocalypse.co.