Quality Thrift turns deals into community support

KENT — It’s a bargain hunter’s paradise — with a purpose.

The Quality Thrift Shop, housed in the former parsonage of the First Congregational Church on North Main Street, not only provides items at reasonable prices, but helps to fill the coffers of a long list of charitable organizations.

Volunteers who help run the enterprise spoke on Feb. 18 at the latest “People and Places of Kent” session put on by the Kent Historical Society and the Kent Senior Center. Carolyn DeVita, Gloria Hill and the Rev. Melinda Keck, a retired pastor, described how the shop operates and why it continues to draw customers from near and far.

The shop, which opened in 1989, was the inspiration of sisters Marcy Ames and Bonnie Treacy. The pair had run a similar type of shop in an Arkansas church and believed one could find success in Kent. They were right.

Starting small in a tiny room in the church’s parish house, described by the speakers as “no more than a closet,” the operation took off. It became a popular destination, originally formed to raise money for the church’s outreach programs and a nutrition site in the Philippines. Donations were plentiful the first year, with a total of $4,550 raised, Hill said.

Sales dropped off after the initial year, but the shop went through a revival when Keck became the church’s co-pastor along with the Rev. Glenn Rainsley. “We didn’t need the parsonage because we had our own home,” Keck said, so Rainsley suggested the shop move into those premises. The house went through a transformation, with many volunteers contributing numerous hours toward the conversion. The shop’s new home, with much more space, opened in 1995.

What began as a church project is now a community endeavor. The shop is staffed by volunteers who sort donations, stock shelves and run the register. De Vita said the number of volunteers has dwindled, going from 40 in 1998 down to the current 28. New faces would be welcome.

The operation is overseen by a board of directors headed by De Vita. Its makeup consists of three non-church members, reflecting the idea of community inclusion, said Keck, adding, “so we’re not so insular.”

Revenue has increased over the years. She noted that in 1989, they took in $3,300; in 2000, $24,375 and in 2025, $52,414. By 2018, total receipts since its beginnings finally topped the $1 million mark.

The trio expressed gratitude for the steady stream of donations the shop receives. “We get some very expensive items [some men’s shirts that retail for $500 to $600] and we try to price them reasonably,” said De Vita.

Alicia Winter is knowledgeable about the value of clothing and puts worthy items online.

The wide selection attracts shoppers locally, as well as those who come distances to browse and buy. She said there is one woman from Massachusetts who posted about the shop on Instagram, which brought a whole new set of customers.

In addition to women’s, men’s and children’s clothing, the shop sells shoes, purses, jewelry, household goods, knickknacks, greeting cards and whatever other items come in—some rather quirky, such as a ceremonial bride’s costume and an old-fashioned Victrola. “We get so many things we have no idea what they are,” interjected Hill.

One person in the audience said he has a friend who comes from afar because of the quality of the inventory. He said she is pleased there is no junk. The women said the donations are scrutinized to pull out clothing that may be torn or show stains. A small amount of money is earned by selling non-usable clothing for rags.

While there are a few down sides, such as some shoplifting and complaints that the prices are too high, they are far outweighed by the good. In one case, a customer who discovered cash tucked inside a purchase returned after hours and slipped the bills through the door.

Proceeds all go to nonprofits. The shop distributes funds to educational, emergency response and social service organizations.

Generosity is shown in other forms, such as giving free clothing to those proven to be in great need.

De Vita, asked about expenses of the operation, said they amount to approximately $22,000 a year for such things as supplies, cleaning and shoveling snow.

The Quality Thrift Shop is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.