When people are turning up a week before the official opening and peeking through the window the day before, it's clear this is a Canberra enterprise that is going to be popular.
But it's not a brand-name franchise or chi chi restaurant opening up, it's a second-hand store that's also about community, sustainability and connection.
And opening day on Saturday is going to be big for The Thrift Hub in Fyshwick, with people "very eager" to see what's inside.
The owner is Jerrabomberra mum-of-five and RAAF veteran Rachael Hopkins who can't quite believe the day has come, after unpacking hundreds of items in the new store in Wollongong Street.
"I'm a little bit anxious but super-pumped and ready to just get through this opening and see how it goes," she said.
"Even when I opened the doors and had nothing in here and no carpet down, people were coming in just to have a look at the space and have a chat."
The Thrift Hub is a dream come true for Rachael, who wanted to open her own store since she was a little girl.
"I was in the Air Force for 13 years and I left and I wanted to find something with purpose," she said.
"I started op shopping myself and got a bit carried away. I saw a few independent ones around the area and I thought, 'I could do this, but a little bit different'. So, I thought I'd give it a go."
The store has clothes, bric-a-brac, books, accessories, toys and sporting goods as well as a promise to support four local charities, Lids4Kids, Toora Women which helps women experiencing domestic violence and homelessness, Rise Above Capital Region Cancer Relief and Home in Queanbeyan.
There is also the "social hub" at the back of the store - comfy lounges where people can sit and chat.
"And I've got a coffee machine set up so people can come and have a cuppa," she said.
There will also be workshops on projects such as upcycling clothes and weaving.
Rachael, 35, and her husband Matthew, who is still in the air force, have five children aged from five to 17.
She knows from their four daughters that young people are getting more into second-hand clothes and op-shopping.
"It's a massive mix. A lot of older, retired people are as well, that's what they do with their spare time," she said.
Rachael also can't wait to help some of the women from Toora to come in and pick their own clothes.
"When people are going through homelessness or domestic violence and they're starting fresh, they just get given a bag of clothes and they're expected to be grateful but sometimes they're ill-fitting or they're not their style and they're forced to wear stuff that isn't them," she said.
"I've told Toora to bring their clients in and they can have their own shopping experience, try things on, get a few pieces that are 'them'. Pick a piece of jewellery, something that they haven't had or has been taken off them."
While the ACT Government has a guide to thrifting in Canberra, Rachael is working with Hannah King from Hannah's Treasures who is planning to put out a brochure mapping out op and consignment shops in the national capital.
Hannah King has been working in the second-hand space for more than two years, operating from a Hume warehouse for the past 18 months where on weekends everything is priced at $1, whether it's a pair of socks or a fridge.
Hannah said there was "absolutely" no doubt thrifting was becoming a tourist attraction in Canberra, with people willing to travel, hit a few stores in a day and find themselves a bargain to take home.
At the same time, the stores were keeping items out of landfill and many, like her own, were also supporting charitable initiatives.
"There's such a transformation happening in the second-hand sector in Canberra and, hopefully, we can all work together to change the world," Hannah said.
