Yvette Vega organizes clothes for display Thursday at the Mission Thrift Store in El Centro. "We sell clothes at decent prices. I have noticed that Monday and Thursday have the most shoppers," she said. (JOSELITO VILLERO) |
Elvira Martinez stopped by the Neighborhood House Mission Thrift Store last week to look for a stroller for her daughter.
“I pass by here every day so I came in one day to see what there was,” she said.
Martinez has since bought shoes, dishes and other “curiosities” at the store she said is cheaper than other thrift stores.
Slowly but surely, Mission Thrift Store has started increasing business.
Gloria Guerra, one of the all-volunteer staff members, said about 30 to 40 people now go to the store a day.
The store advertises with little A-frame boards as Neighborhood House Executive Director Ricardo Ortega said they are still trying to tread water and make ends meet.
While many of the donations come from corporations, Ortega said most of the donors are private.
Guerra said the most popular items are for babies and furniture. Furniture, she said, is hard to get.
“People don’t want to throw stuff away; it’s the economy, you know?” she said.
The store has everything from clothes to old records.
“I can get a bunch of stuff for cheaper than just getting one thing,” said Rigoberto Vega, a customer looking for books or records.
Irvin Bunda stopped by the store looking for electronics.
“The economy’s bad so you’re trying to find the cheaper items,” he said. “I’m not looking for new ones but trying to upgrade what I already have.”
Ortega said the store started because many people would ask Neighborhood House for different types of items, others would call to see if Neighborhood House took donations. With no storage, Neighborhood House couldn’t take the donations but started searching for a venue to open the thrift shop. Intended for Calexico, Ortega said the spaces there were too expensive.
He said the space on Third Street isn’t in the best location, but for them he said it makes sense.
“It’s different in the sense it’s in the east side, but we’re fortunate to be there because it puts us a little bit closer to that area which a lot of our clients come from,” he said.
As a nonprofit that also runs other services, including a women and children’s shelter, Ortega said Neighborhood House offers donations to the women and children first.
The store also offers free books, free help filling out paperwork on Wednesday mornings and community yard sales once the weather is cooler. Guerra said the back and front lots are often full.
“People like it and come from all over,” she said. “A gentleman even came from Palm Springs once.”
For Ortega, the store is a learning experience.
“As we go along, as we learn, things have gotten better,” he said.
Staff Writer Sarah Horne can be reached at shorne@ivpressonline.com or 760-337-3435.
IF YOU GO
What: Neighborhood House Mission Thrift Store
Where: 201 Third St., El Centro
Special: $2 bag of clothing on Saturdays
“I pass by here every day so I came in one day to see what there was,” she said.
Martinez has since bought shoes, dishes and other “curiosities” at the store she said is cheaper than other thrift stores.
Slowly but surely, Mission Thrift Store has started increasing business.
Gloria Guerra, one of the all-volunteer staff members, said about 30 to 40 people now go to the store a day.
The store advertises with little A-frame boards as Neighborhood House Executive Director Ricardo Ortega said they are still trying to tread water and make ends meet.
While many of the donations come from corporations, Ortega said most of the donors are private.
Guerra said the most popular items are for babies and furniture. Furniture, she said, is hard to get.
“People don’t want to throw stuff away; it’s the economy, you know?” she said.
The store has everything from clothes to old records.
“I can get a bunch of stuff for cheaper than just getting one thing,” said Rigoberto Vega, a customer looking for books or records.
Irvin Bunda stopped by the store looking for electronics.
“The economy’s bad so you’re trying to find the cheaper items,” he said. “I’m not looking for new ones but trying to upgrade what I already have.”
Ortega said the store started because many people would ask Neighborhood House for different types of items, others would call to see if Neighborhood House took donations. With no storage, Neighborhood House couldn’t take the donations but started searching for a venue to open the thrift shop. Intended for Calexico, Ortega said the spaces there were too expensive.
He said the space on Third Street isn’t in the best location, but for them he said it makes sense.
“It’s different in the sense it’s in the east side, but we’re fortunate to be there because it puts us a little bit closer to that area which a lot of our clients come from,” he said.
As a nonprofit that also runs other services, including a women and children’s shelter, Ortega said Neighborhood House offers donations to the women and children first.
The store also offers free books, free help filling out paperwork on Wednesday mornings and community yard sales once the weather is cooler. Guerra said the back and front lots are often full.
“People like it and come from all over,” she said. “A gentleman even came from Palm Springs once.”
For Ortega, the store is a learning experience.
“As we go along, as we learn, things have gotten better,” he said.
Staff Writer Sarah Horne can be reached at shorne@ivpressonline.com or 760-337-3435.
IF YOU GO
What: Neighborhood House Mission Thrift Store
Where: 201 Third St., El Centro
Special: $2 bag of clothing on Saturdays
