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St. Luke’s Thrift Shop Recognizes 35th Anniversary

St. Luke’s Thrift Shop is holding a special “sell-abration” sale through next week, in which items can be purchased at three for $5. Children’s items will also be on sale at five for $3. P-J photo by Gavin Paterniti

For more than three decades, a community entity has been helping those in need by turning cast-offs into valued items.

St. Luke’s Thrift Shop is celebrating its 35th anniversary of transforming good, gently-used clothing and small household items into financial support for surrounding community agencies.

Originally conceived and opened in 1982 through the assistance of George Matthews, who was an owner of Matthews and Miller Men’s Clothing Store in Jamestown, the thrift store has been providing supporting its community in a multitude of ways. While clothing those in need of quality attire, it has also donated a vast majority of its proceeds back to various local agencies and organizations.

Accepting the money required to keep the building maintained and its utilities paid, the rest of the store’s proceeds are given to these groups via twice-a-year allocations. Through the totality of its history, the all-volunteer workforce has donated well over $400,000 to numerous service agencies focused particularly on abused women, at-risk youth, the hungry and the elderly — specifically, the YMCA, Meals on Wheels, Chautauqua Striders, St. Susan Center, the Salvation Army’s Anew Center and others. For over a decade, the store has donated between $10,000 and $25,000 on an annual basis to these causes.

Many of the items donated to the store for sale come through parishioners and others. With a rotating volunteer force of approximately 33 individuals, those who keep the store running ensure that the items being sold back to the public are of fine and lasting quality.

“The thrift store prides itself on offering clothing of better quality than you could expect to find at other secondhand stores,” said Barbara Kiddoo, thrift store board president. “We’re a downtown, people-walk-in kind of place, and a lot of people who come through our door are oftentimes in need of the same services that we support. So, in some ways it’s like their money comes back to them.”

In recognition of the its 35th anniversary, the store is offering a special “sell-abration” sale through next week in which all items — except for those in the children’s room — can be purchased at three for $5. Children’s items can be purchased at five for $3. Generally, items in the store are sold for no more than $3 or $4 each.

St. Luke’s Thrift Shop is located at 409 Pine St. in Jamestown. The store is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays are designated receiving, sorting and pricing days from 9-11 a.m.; however, items can also be received during open hours.

For more information about St. Luke’s Thrift Shop, call 664-1887, visit stlukesjamestown.org or find the store on Facebook.

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