Shop and Save for a Worthy Cause

Thrift Harbor is looking to expand store with more quality merchandise at the best prices.

Standing beside one of their Thrift Harbor blue collection boxes are Thrift Harbor team members (L to R): Kim Prock, store manager; Titus Robison, Hope Harbor executive director; Mary Baumgardner, store volunteer coordinator; and volunteers Diane Lynch and Crystal Dancer.

Since Thrift Harbor opened in downtown Claremore in March 2011, the store and its vision have continued to grow. The non-profit thrift store offers the community quality merchandise at an economical price while supporting the ministries of Hope Harbor.

As the new executive director of Hope Harbor, Titus Robison has an even bigger vision for Thrift Harbor. “Because of the continued success of our current store in this community, we are actively looking at opening a second one,” says Robison.

Although a location has not yet been named, Robison believes the time is right to expand. “We now have over 100 blue donation bins out all over northeastern Oklahoma, in Arkansas and the southern part of Kansas,” he adds.

With a high volume of donations to the store as well as the bins, Thrift Harbor is excited about the future and how people are helping. “We are able to get more people involved in our mission,” says Robison, “especially those who can’t come here to volunteer, and it helps get the word out in other parts of Oklahoma about our mission – the knowledge of who we are.”
At the downtown location, shoppers will find a variety of clothing, shoes, handbags and other accessories, as well as a vast assortment of books, games, home décor, furniture and lots of knick knacks and collectibles, reasonably priced from $0.25 to $15.

Seasonal items are always available, as the store strives to keep on display those items and clothing that people need at just the right time. Currently, you’ll find displays of items for St. Patrick’s Day and Easter. In addition, the store will begin putting out their spring and summer clothing beginning in March.

Thrift Harbor’s everyday low prices of $1.50 for quality adult and children’s clothing draws people in the door to shop for their families. Shoes start at $2 per pair. New clothes are put out daily, according to store manager Kim Prock.

All donated merchandise is sorted through by volunteers who keep the good stuff. Broken, tattered and unsafe items are tossed. “We don’t sell anything that would be unsafe –
meaning electronics and appliances,” Prock adds.

To make a clothing donation or to donate other items, you can drop them off at the store, or at any of their blue donation bins located around the state. For pickup of larger items, call
(918) 855-1389.  

“Our vision is to continue to grow and offer more for an affordable price,” says Robison. “We want to hear from our customers. If there is something they need and we can be a resource for our community, we would like to know. We still offer the best prices for resale in town.”
One hundred percent of the proceeds go to support Hope Harbor Children’s Home & Academy and Family Ministries. 

For more information, contact

Thrift Harbor

www.thriftharbor.com 

About Author Carol Beck-Round

After 30 years in public school education, Carol Round retired and moved from Grand Lake to Claremore, Oklahoma in 2005, where she writes a weekly faith-based column which runs in 14 Oklahoma newspapers as well as several national and international publications. Three volumes of her columns have been compiled into collections: A Matter of Faith, Faith Matters and by FAITH alone. She has also written Journaling with Jesus: How to Draw Closer to God and a companion workbook, The 40-Day Challenge. This past year she has written three children’s books, a series called Nana’s 3 Jars, to teach children about the value of giving, saving and spending money. All of Carol’s books are available through Amazon. In addition to writing her weekly column, authoring books and speaking to women’s groups, she writes for Value News. She also blogs regularly at www.carolaround.com. When she is not writing or speaking, she loves spending time with her three grandchildren, working in her flowerbeds, shooting photos, volunteering at her church or going on mission trips overseas, and hiking. She is also an avid reader and loves working crosswords and trying to solve Sudoku puzzles.