Browsing the aisles at popular thrift store chains like Goodwill and Thrifty Shopper, Brittany Lavergne and her fiancé Brandon Beers noticed some items’ price tags seemed to be inching closer to regular retail prices.
It got them thinking. Could there be another option?
With dual goals of helping the community and creating a space that offered “yard sale prices,” they opened The Community Closet at 73 Castle Creek Road in the Town of Chenango.
The process began in May with their Doing Business As name application, renovations, turning on utilities, and securing all the documents needed to start a nonprofit. Operating as a 501(c)(3) allows the store to “give back to the community in more than one way,” Lavergne said in a July 29 email statement.
Beers is an entrepreneur and the nonprofit’s president. Lavergne is vice president and handles daily store operations. Beers’ mother, Heather Raymond, is the secretary and treasurer.
On July 27, they hosted a soft opening to showcase what The Community Closet had to offer to the community. They made 425 sales.
All revenue made from the shop’s sales is directed to operational costs and community initiatives like the Knights Inn fire relief.
Before the doors officially opened at the nonprofit, Lavergne and Beers held a yard sale that generated $1,000 — through their connection with local activist Talia Moore and Mercy International Inc., the money raised was used to cover the first month of rent for a family displaced by the Knights Inn fire.
“We were so proud of how the community came together and made it all happen,” Lavergne said.
One concern around selling items for such low prices is the possibility of people exploiting it; turning around and profiting off resales at higher prices. But Lavergne and her small team hope their mission is not lost.
“We are here to help,” Lavergne said in a July 28 interview at the shop.
What makes the Community Closet different from other thrift store chains?
The goal, Lavergne said, is to make people feel like they are walking away with quality items for next to nothing.
“Here, I really pick and choose what I put in the store,” she said. “Just because we’re in need doesn’t mean you deserve the bottom of the barrel.”
From her own personal experience as a parent, Lavergne knows how difficult it is to keep up with rising costs as children continue to grow out of clothes.
Prices range from 25 cents to $3 for items like children’s toys, clothing, books, jewelry and household items, displayed in three rooms of carefully selected items. Lavergne said when it comes to what is put out on the shelves, they’re looking for “clean, unbroken, unstained, gently used or unused items.”
Larger furniture items like chairs, tables and couches may be accepted in the future, depending on space.
The Community Closet accepts card, cash and Cash App payments.
Donations can be made anytime during regular business hours, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
The store location has been through its fair share of owners and missions. According to Lavergne they’ve had a few customers come by to share they previously lived or worked at the location. Raymond worked in one of the rooms when it was used as a hair salon — she now runs HAIRTOPIA on Washington Avenue in Endicott.
Follow The Community Closet on Facebook to stay up to date on their latest arrivals and the date for the official grand opening. For people and organizations looking to connect with The Community Closet about providing monetary aid or setting up a drive, reach out via email at thecommunitycloset2026@gmail.com.
Kalyn Grant reports on public service issues for the Press & Sun-Bulletin, focusing on schools and community impact. Have a story to share? Follow her on Instagram @KalynCarmen and on Facebook under Kalyn Kearney. Get in touch at KCGrant@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: This new Binghamton-area thrift store wants to keep prices under $3
Reporting by Kalyn Grant, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kalyn Grant, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin | USA TODAY Network
