SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — With rising costs at many stores, people are looking for ways to ease the pain at the register. This may include shopping at thrift stores.
One that has been open in Sioux Falls for 18 years is helping not only with that, but all the money made is going back to a local Christian school.
“A place where you can come and not have to buy brand-new products, but maybe it’s more of an affordable opportunity for different people with different incomes,” said Rachel Niemeyer, support services administrator for Sioux Falls Christian.
At NU2U Thrift Store near 46th Street and Western Avenue in Sioux Falls, every transaction makes a difference, and it goes beyond the customers who are saving money.
“Everything here is totally donations only, and it goes back to support Sioux Falls Christian School, and we have major drop offs per day. I mean, we could have up to 40,” store manager Debbie Goodwin said.
Goodwin has been at NU2U for nine years, and has been a manager for five.
“Furniture, clothes, miscellaneous, purses, shoes, anything you can possibly think of,” Goodwin said. “We usually have anywhere from four to eight tubs per week of books to go up. We do bedding, home decor, toys, guys stuff. I mean, you name it, it gets dropped off here.”
Items are sorted, tagged and then put on shelves or racks for people to buy. Goodwin says there are always items on sale depending on the color of the price tag.
“Every month they change a new color. Two different colors. They’re usually full price for about two months and then they go half price and then it will go 75% off,” she said.
All of the proceeds at the store benefit Sioux Falls Christian. Niemeyer says the school started the thrift store 18 years ago.
“There was a couple of administrators that had heard about another thrift store in another Christian school, and they decided to give it a try,” she said.
Niemeyer says support from the store helps with operational expenses and lowers tuition costs at Sioux Falls Christian.
“The NU2U store has been a very important part for our school,” she said. “It not only brings in an alternative revenue, but more importantly it creates community. It’s an opportunity for families to come in, shop together, but also to volunteer and see that there’s a different way to support a school.”
And since NU2U thrift store benefits Sioux Falls Christian School, they even have their own section dedicated to Charger apparel.
Both Goodwin and Niemeyer say volunteers are always needed to keep everything running.
“On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have volunteers that come and hang all the clothes and put them were they’re supposed to go. We’re always looking for volunteers. They are a big help here,” Goodwin said.
“The neat thing about NU2U and connected to Sioux Falls Christian is it’s an opportunity for people to volunteer. It’s for a greater cause. It’s not just another store that you go into and the goal is a profit line. The goal is that we can bring community, we can serve the community and we can help each other out,” Niemeyer said.
If you would like to volunteer at NU2U Thrift Store, you can call their phone number at (605) 275-4205 or visit their website.
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