Editor’s note: This article was published in Grand Traverse Scene magazine’s Fall 2026 issue. Pick up a free copy at area hotels, visitors centers, chambers of commerce or at the Record-Eagle building at 1764 Forest Ridge Drive in Traverse City. Click here to read GT Scene in its entirety online.
The Finnish call it itsepalvelukirpputori— an extension of “kirpputori” (flea market) that means “self-service flea market,” where people can engage with table rentals and sell their own goods, or clothes.
Now, make it Traverse City. Jena Black, an avid thrifter, opened Penny Lane in 2023, after finding out about this particular Finnish secondhand retail model in Utah.
“I felt there was a gap in the thrift world. I personally didn’t even want to do this. I wanted my friends to do it, and no one would do it. So I said, you know what? I think I can make this happen. I have no retail experience. I am not an entrepreneur by any means, but I love to thrift,” Black explained.
Out of sheer determination and a passion to make thrifting exciting and true to the community it’s based in, she began, taking the road of entrepreneurship one step at a time.
“Starting a business is accessible to anybody that wants to, I think people just don’t think they can,” she said. “We tell ourselves we can’t do these things, but a lot of it is like believing in yourself.”
Leaning on friends and family to fill her first booths, she quickly grew, now hosting 40 rotating vendors ranging in style, age, and interest, on a regular basis in the Front Street location, alongside another 25 vendors at the new branch on Fourteenth Street, which opened in February 2026 due to high demand of vendors.
“Instead of me curating what is in the store, it’s natural curation. So there’s something for everybody all the time and I don’t want to tell people what’s cool or right to wear. I’ve seen a granddaughter, a mother and a grandmother come in together, and all leave with something,” she explained, going on to detail how one vendor even brought in a vintage Peanut mascot costume that many tried on, but never got taken home. “You can bring anything you want in, so you just never know what you’re going to find. It’s just so fun.”
That aspect of supporting one another and remaining open minded to the wide variety of the audience and the vendors is part of the philosophy behind Penny Lane.
“You support my small business, but you’re really supporting all the people in this community because the money goes back to them. It’s like a mini small business,” she detailed.”
Originally from Arizona, Black spent many summers in Traverse City, eventually moving here 10 years ago, and becoming a part of the same community that would make Penny Lane possible, and thrive to this day.
“I love the community that Traverse City is. It’s just like such a special vibe here. I feel like people care. It was not a community effort in the big city and here I just feel it all the time everywhere I go. It’s just like a magical place,” she recounted. “For most of my life I never ask for help. I had to lean on my friends and my family to create this, and really believe in myself and trust the process. I think we don’t do that enough; we don’t lean on each other.”
While she’s found success, and has overall big dreams for Penny Lane as it continues to garner attention and love from the Traverse City community and visitors alike, creating a streamlined or franchised version isn’t at the top of her mind.
“Right now it’s fun and I don’t want to feel pressure to expand a lot. I just want to grow my second location and enjoy this community,” she said. “I also want to support other small businesses starting up. You can do this and it’s not as scary as you think.”
Visit Penny Lane and see the latest offerings from vendors at 449 E. Front St. or 528 W. 14th St., or find any additional details at pennylanetc.com.