St. Mary’s Thrift Shop, located in the back building of St. Mary’s Catholic Church has a rule for the clothing it sells: “if you wouldn’t wear it yourself, if you wouldn’t give it to your kids, we probably don’t want to sell it either,” said Pat Charros, who helped organize the new store and serves as the Church’s business manager.

“I think that people, when they come, they’re surprised by the quality,” Charros said. 

To ensure that quality, volunteers put in some extra effort: wrinkly clothes are steamed, some are taken home to wash and dry, and others are even mended by volunteers with sewing skills. 

St. Mary’s Thrift Shop opened on July 14. Charros helped steer the store’s creation after a suggestion from the previous pastor. She liked the idea, but was initially unsure whether enough volunteers would come out to support the shop. 

Fortunately, she was wrong: about 25 volunteers now assist in the thrift shop’s operation. Charros said the shop has actually formed a nice community within the volunteers as well. 

Volunteer Carol Oliveira said the thrift store has a “great group of people” and volunteering there has been “a welcoming experience.”

“The community is friendly and welcoming, and the priest always offers: No one is a stranger, just come and we’ll welcome you,” Oliveira said. 

Most items at the shop are under $10, except for some boutique brands or large items like coats or suit jackets.

The store’s largest collection is women’s clothing, but men’s and children’s clothing is also sold. 

Rather than going for the typical thrift shop layout, with rows of racks packed with clothes, St. Mary’s set up display racks from the former Bed, Bath and Beyond in Towne Center. The result is a more traditional retail layout, which highlights a variety of clothes on the wall. 

“There’s so many things that are good about doing this: people aren’t throwing clothes in the trash … and the clothes are getting a second life,” Charros said. 

At the end of the summer, the thrift shop needed to switch over from summer to fall and winter items, so they hosted a bag sale: One bag full of summer clothing cost $5.

Some items, including good condition socks and underwear are donated to the Social Concerns Ministry of the church, which distributes them to people in need. 

While the thrift store may eventually take home goods or technology, its focus is strictly clothing for now: “You got to crawl before you walk,” Charros said. 

The thrift shop is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Wednesday and Saturday’s hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday’s hours are 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. to adhere closer to the farmers’ market, which takes place immediately outside the thrift shop. 

Donations are accepted only while the thrift shop is open.