Community Cupboard thrift store reopens in new location as Das Thrift Haus

Last Friday, the Community Cupboard thrift store reopened in a new location just a few doors away as Das Thrift Haus. Das Thrift Haus offers an expanded selection in a larger store at 211 14th Street. This is the first phase of moving the Community Cupboard to a new location over the next few years.
“Das Thrift Haus is the perfect space for the thrift store,” said Kaylin Bettinger, Upper Valley MEND executive director. “It’s light and airy, with more space to shop. It feels to me like a boutique, but with thrift store prices. With this new space, we’re able to offer a wider selection of thrift store treasures, with some great new offerings as well.”
In the new space, shoppers will continue to find gently used clothing, household goods, media and linens. In addition, the store will sell small furniture pieces and outdoor gear.
Second hand goods continue to be accepted at the Community Cupboard, where staff and volunteers sort the goods and then move them to Das Thrift Haus for sale. In the past, Community Cupboard has limited the amount of donated goods they accept from each donor each day. With expanded space, they now accept any amount of donated goods, as long as the items are not past their useful life. Before donating furniture pieces, Das Thrift Haus asks that donors call ahead to make sure there is enough space.
Upper Valley MEND began renting the Das Thrift Haus space in December. Over the past couple of months, a dedicated group of community volunteers has allowed the office space to be remodeled into a beautiful retail store. Local construction company Borealis Builders generously donated the labor to do the remodel work, and local electrician Adam Albizu volunteered his skills. Bill Jenkins, Richard D-Litzenberger, John Butruille, Mike Bradburn and Barbee Teasley worked tirelessly on the interior buildout. And dozens of volunteers helped ready the space and move the thrift goods last week.
“It truly takes a village. We’re so grateful to each one of our volunteers. They’re the heart and soul of all of this,” Bettinger said.
Upper Valley MEND is welcoming additional volunteer support to help staff the Community Cupboard food bank and sorting center, as well as Das Thrift Haus. Interested volunteers can find more information at uvmend.org.
Sales from Das Thrift Haus continue to support Community Cupboard food bank, emergency assistance and the other programs of Upper Valley MEND.
Over the coming weeks, the Community Cupboard will also get a facelift. With the thrift store moved out, Community Cupboard food bank will be expanded to better meet the needs of its clients. The space will be turned into a grocery-store style food bank, where food bank clients shop with points instead of money.
“We’re excited to be able to offer our clients more empowerment with their food choices,” said Bob Mark, Community Cupboard program manager. “We want folks to be able to feel good coming into the food bank, and choosing food for their families. It should be as comfortable for our clients as going into a grocery store.
The process of moving the thrift store to a new space began a few years ago, when Upper Valley MEND got the news that the city was expanding its water treatment facility across the street from Community Cupboard. The city has donated the Community Cupboard space for years, but around 2020 the water treatment facility will utilize the Community Cupboard space, at which time the Cupboard will need to move.
Upper Valley MEND did substantial feasibility work to determine that the best path forward was to separate the food bank and thrift store to maximize the effectiveness of both entities. Over the new few years, the Community Cupboard will begin looking for a new home as well.