Gainesville - School is starting and the economy is still weak, a growing number of people are doing the math, and doing their back to school shopping at second hand stores.  Even though they still have a relatively small slice of the retail sales pie, thrift and resale shops are flourishing.  National numbers show 7 percent rise in sales in each of the last two years.  Florida's sales numbers are higher.

Gainesville resident Barbara Brady loves to shop.

"We like to shop in thrift stores because you get a much more variety, Barbara Brady, Gainesville, said.

Brady likes to shop for things that some people might consider out of style.

"These are the things I would play dress up with as a child," Brady said.

"I've been this location for two years,"  Cendra Gier, Owner of Cecile's said.

Gier the owner of Cecile's  says within the past two years sales have been on the rise.

"People are starting to figure out not only is it better for them as a consumer from an economic stand point its better for the local economy," Gier said.

Gier says within the past two years her sales rose 25 percent, a number that's higher than the national numbers.  The NARTS report says consignment thrift and resale shops grew by 7 percent in 2010, and another 7 percent in last year.

"I've expanded two years ago and its been wonderful," Gier said.

The report also stated between 16 and 18 percent of Americans shopped at consignment stores compared to 21.3 percent who shopped at department stores.  Gier thinks the reason could be more people find resale fun.

"Vintage is coming back anything 40's, 50's 60's 70's all that stuff is really popular right now," Gier said.

And shoppers at Sandy's agree.

"They have nice clothes the clothes look brand new,"  one shopper said.

Sandy's workers say, they've seen an increase in sales too.

"We keep hoping that people keep shopping here,"  Tabitha Rowlands Manager at Sandy's.

The report also found that Goodwill generated 2.69 billion dollars in 2010.