Thrifting for Love

Twice a month, I spend two hours in the car driving to my volunteer job. It’s a long drive, but once I get out of my suburban Virginia area, I end up driving through the lovely foothills of the Shenandoah Mountains. I love the quiet and calmness that comes with narrow roads and no traffic. My destination is a tiny Hamlet called Upperville, population 655. The heart of Upperville consists of a general store, gas station, Irish pub, and three churches. One of these churches, Trinity Episcopal, is built like a medieval cathedral. 

Upperville also happens to be in the center of Virginia horse country (think Kentucky Derby-type farms and horses) and has some of the most expensive real estate in the country. In contrast, it also has some of the poorest rural homes in the state. And the people who live there—both rich and poor—have lived there for generations that date all the way back to pre-Revolutionary days. So what do I do twice a month? Well, Trinity Church–the largest church in town–has an outreach program that fills a local food pantry (a pantry that feeds families in three counties) and provides prepaid cards for oil and gas heating, as well as gas cards so people can get to their remote jobs. And one way this outreach program is funded is through the Trinity Thrift & Boutique store.

This boutique and thrift shop is housed in a Federal-style brick home built sometime between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. It has fluky AC and even flukier heat. And many of the windows have the original glass panes. Yet, despite its humble appearance, this thrift shop makes enough money to keep the food pantry stocked year-round. And when the annual County Stable Tours take place in May, the thrift shop holds a “Boutique Sale” where the the proceeds could feed the entire state for a week. (I may be exaggerating, but not by much.)

There are so many reasons to shop and donate to second-hand clothing stores, the most important being that recycling and reusing keeps things out of landfills. But this thrift shop in particular is famous because of the what they sell and how many people the proceeds feed on an annual basis. Because of its location, the Trinity Thrift & Boutique is the place where some of the richest people in the state (maybe in the country) donate their used clothing, furniture, and other household goods. I’m not talking clothing from The Gap or Talbots (although the shape carries those brands), I’m talking about original Chanel jackets from Paris and Ferragamo shoes from Italy. Name the uber-expensive brand, and this humble thrift shop has sold it. 

The amazing thing is that these things don’t sell for thousands of dollars, so anyone can shop there. Despite the low prices, the shop makes more than enough money for the food pantry and its other social services. And, even more impressive, the shop makes all of their money between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday because that’s the only time it’s open to the public. Twelve hours a week brings in enough money to feed the county’s neediest. That’s a remarkable feat.

The thrift shop is manned by one employee and volunteers (myself included!) who sort through the huge piles of donations, arrange them in the shop, and sell them on the days the store is open. And my daughter and nieces will openly admit that their entire wardrobes comes from the thrift shop. My daughter even bought her prom dress there, as well as all the clothes she took to Chicago when she began her first job after college. 

These days, the shop is filled with high-end and medium-end men’s and women’s clothing and shoes, leather handbags, wool coats, furniture, a curated collection of books (including some first editions), a collection of gently used riding clothes, boots, and accessories, framed art, and lots of lovely jewelry. There’s even a wedding boutique for bridal and evening gowns as well as accessories like vintage evening bags and furs.

It’s hard to describe the vibe in the Trinity & Boutique Shop—it’s a combination of gratitude and happiness. The first few times we went there, we had to stop shouting at each other across the store with things like “Look what I found!” and “It’s a Lily Pulitzer!”. Once we got used to going, and started donating those things we felt were worthy, we slowly became a part of the church family that runs the place. Those who donate gorgeous things are just hoping that the shoppers will find exactly what they need. And those shoppers are thrilled to find things that they’d not purchase otherwise. Then there’s the truth that the money made in those twelve weekly hours go to the most important ministry of all—feeding the hungry.

So if you ever get a chance to pass through Upperville, VA on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., stop at Trinity Thrift & Boutique. (And it’s also fortuitous that this Friday is Valentine’s Day!) The building doesn’t look like much, but inside there’s magic fueled by generosity and love and gratitude. And once you’ve shopped, walk down the street to the Hunter’s Head Pub. Sit by the colonial-era fireplace, drink a pint of beer (or their home-made orange-vanilla iced tea), and talk to the locals. You may even hear stories about how, not that long ago, people rode their horses into town to eat, drink, and worship. And, of course, drop off their donations and give thanks.