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Trinity Community Thrift Store
Located in the basement of Trinity Church
137 Main Street, Montpelier
Tuesday. Thursday. Saturday. 10am-4pm
Where do bargain hunters go for quality, low-cost clothing and goods in Vermont’s capital city? The trinity Community Thrift Store is Montpelier’s first, most affordable thrift shopping experience!The Trinity Community Thrift Store celebrated a grand opening on November 14, 2009. Montpelier’s first thrift store was the dream of Trinity Church member Paul Audy, who sees it as a response to the church’s passion for helping others, and a way for him to find his own place in outreach to others.Trinity’s motto is “a place to begin, a place to belong, a place to become,” and Audy sees this as a description, both of his involvement in the church community, and of the store itself. “This is what I love to do, where I belong, and it helps people get what they need to hopefully improve their lives a bit,” he says.

Over the past few years, the church’s thrift sales have drawn huge numbers of donations and sales, reflecting a need in the community to find inexpensive sources for clothing and other items, and a desire to give gently-used goods new life.

Rev. Rebecca Girrell, calls the project a win-win. “It gives Paul and others from the church an immediate and meaningful way of living out their passion and calling, and it meets a very real need in the Montpelier area,” Girrell says. Beyond the free resources the church gives out, Girrell believes that the having the option of a thrift store will be helpful for the community. “It’s very affirming for folks to be able to buy quality items at a price they can afford,” she says. “The store will be a tremendous way to help and empower others, and that’s really what loving God and our neighbors is all about.”

Audy agrees with that assessment. “Having a disability, I’ve benefited all my life from the many people who have helped me,” he says. “This is my opportunity to say thank you to them, my chance to give back to the community I love. That’s God’s love in a nutshell.”

The Trinity Community Thrift Store is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays from 10-4. For more information, please contact Brian Baker at (802) 279-0412.

What To Expect
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You may see our “Sandwich Board” Sign on the front lawn of the Church, and when the Food Pantry is open, you also may see their sign as well. Our sign will indicate that you should use the Rear Entrance. Drive or walk up the driveway, park in our parking lot, go to the back door, and you will see the wheelchair access ramp and you will be able to enter through the back door of the building. Disabled or Elderly individuals can press the actuator outside on the ramp to open the door and enter the building. Once inside, you will see a set of stairs to your right. Go down these stairs, and you will see a white door. Simply turn left, go through this door, and follow the sign that says “Thrift Store and Food Pantry at End of Hall.” Go all the way down this hallway, and turn left, and you will be able to see the Thrift Store. Persons requiring the use of the elevator to access the basement level can inquire at the office for assistance.

Once you enter the Thrift Store, you should see our staff and volunteers at the desk, or they may be working in the immediate area, possibly helping customers or dealing with donations. You will be greeted by a store volunteer or store staff. They will ask you “have you been here before” if we believe you may be a customer that we have not seen before. We will ask you if we can help you find something, and if so, one of our volunteers or staff members will be happy to assist you. Please do NOT hesitate to ask for assistance if you need it, or if you are looking for something specific, as we may not necessarily have it in the store at the moment, but could have it in our donation area.

The Store has several signs that are placed in strategic locations throughout the room. Base Price for Adult Clothing, Shoes, Boots, etc., is $5.00 unless otherwise marked. Base Price for Baby/Toddler or Children’s Clothing, shoes, boots, etc., is $1.00 to $2.00, depending on the item, and also could be specially marked. If you see a white tag or sticker, this indicates that the price of an item or piece of clothing is a bit more expensive. if you do NOT see a price on an item, please ASK.

The store also has two programs that can assist those who are in need of clothing or items. Please feel free to ask a staff member about these programs if you have an unmet need. We are here to help.

We look forward to serving you

Sincerely,
Brian S. Baker – Executive Director
William W. Sanderson, Co-Director/Store Manager
Celine Blais, Corral Manager
Roseanne Gray, Corral Manager
Juliet Stephens, Acquisitions and Merchandising Director