Yesterday I took a trip to Kathleen's Closet, a new thrift store that opened in Hillside late last summer. Well, kinda new. The thrift store was originally just called the "Community FoodBank of New Jersey Thrift Store" and it was located in the foodbank building. I stopped by after dropping off the children's winter coats we collected at Heidi's Cottage (thanks everyone who donated!) so that I could check out the new digs and participate in Young House Love's Thriftstore Challenge inspired of course by that song you MIGHT have heard (over and over).
Kathleen's Closet is run by my friend Michelle DeCagna who started out as a foodbank volunteer (like many employees of the foodbank). She turned what was originally just a ramshackle warehouse storage space with stuff strewn about to a clean, organized thrift store that outgrew the room!
What's unique about Kathleen's Closet (both the northern location I visited and the Southern Branch)? Two things... first, that there are donations that come straight from vendors (overstock, misprints, etc.) or other nonprofits like libraries; and second, that 100% of the profits goes directly back into the New Jersey community. Bigger thrift stores are often run by national nonprofits that make no promise of WHERE the monies go; and then there are the thrift stores that are FORprofit which compensate nonprofits for collecting donations (ahem, UNIQUE). And then of course, there are the donation clothing bins you see around your neighborhood. Did you know that in NJ, the owners of these bins only have to donate 5% of their profits to a charity to be allowed to slap that nonprofit's sticker on their bin? And that's if they are honest.
I wasn't looking for anything in particular... Loved these desk lamps.
And this old office art piece made me smile...
I actually knew people who used this...
Macklemore would be all over these fringed leather pillows...
or that all pink outfit in the window.
I fell in love with this chair. Unfortunately, it's too wide.
I had $20 in my pocket but spent less than $10.
- 3 Hardcover Children's Books: $1 x 3 (For my nephew... shhh, it's a surprise for his 2nd birthday)
- Hardcover Children's Book Set (3 of 4 books): $2
- Easter Egg Indoor/Outdoor Lights: $1.99 (Not sure if I trust that UL graphic so I'm keeping them inside)
- Drink parasols: $.10
- Mini notepad: $.10
- Tiny ceramic bunny: $.25
- minus 5% for filling out survey
- total...$7.07
- Valentine's Day Floral Picks: $.50 x 2
- so make that the grand total of $8.07
Yay.... I love all my finds. You should stop by there too.
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