A Company of Second Chances
Pittsburgh City Paper took an in-depth look at how MAC.BID is built around the idea of second chances — allowing customers to purchase returned and overstocked products instead of them piling up in landfills.
Co-founder Kellen Campbell started the company with Shawn Allen in 2018 after identifying a gap between businesses that buy wholesale liquidated products and individual customers.
Sustainability at the Core
According to a BBC Earth report, 5 billion pounds of waste is generated through returns each year. MAC.BID's goal is to find a home for these products and reduce the chance of them ending up in a landfill. The company also recycles cardboard, palletizes materials, and scraps metals.
Second Chances for People
MAC.BID runs an employment program for individuals in recovery programs or impacted by the justice system. Campbell describes the partnership with the City Mission in Washington, PA:
"Giving them something that gives them something to aim at and to work toward is one of the biggest things in helping them get beyond their past troubles. They've been unbelievable employees, incredibly hard working and dedicated to the company."
Revitalizing Spaces
MAC.BID also gives a second chance to real estate by revitalizing long-vacant retail and warehouse spaces in Washington, Butler, and Pittsburgh Mills.
"We definitely see ourselves as just a company of second chances," said Campbell.