Hatcher Pass Thrift provides used outdoor gear for the Valley

Hatcher Pass Thrift will be offering used outdoor clothing and equipment at an affordable price that everyone in the entire family will enjoy.

Located at the base of Hatcher Pass in the same business strip and parking lot as Hatcher Pass Pizza and Little Susitna Coffee, Hatcher Pass Thrift is in a prime location to serve adventure seekers across the Valley. Owner Kylecia Lord is excited to bring this new opportunity to the community and is hosting a donation drive this weekend to collect more items for the grand opening at the end of July.

“I want it to be affordable for all families to be able to come in there and purchase gear and give it a new life, a second life, and really enjoy it,” Lord said.

Born and raised in Valdez, Lord has always had a passion for both the outdoors and thrifting. She has lived and worked at the base of Hatcher Pass for several years. When she saw that the space was available for rent, she contacted the landlord immediately and was encouraged to follow her dream of offering affordable used outdoor gear for others. The process to open her first brick and mortar business has taken her only two months and Lord said she is excited to officially show her face to the community during the donation drive.

“I’ve always had a passion for the outdoors and thrifting itself and I just see a need for that in our community, especially over here in Hatcher Pass,” Lord said.

People are encouraged to bring clean, used outdoor gear to the donation drive and place them in bins outside of the store. The donation drive will occur on July 12 and 13 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Lord hopes to completely fill her 660 square foot space with clothing and gear before she opens her doors.

Every person that donates an item is entered into a raffle for a variety of prizes, including a set of cornhole boards, a stand up paddle board and gift cards to local businesses. Raffles will be drawn during the grand opening of the store. Lord will be hosting a monthly raffle drawing for donations made each month.

Lord asks that donations be seasonal for now due to limited space and to hold on to cold weather gear until his winter.

There is not an exact opening date yet, but Lord encourages people to follow along on the Hatcher Pass Thrift Instagram and Facebook pages to stay updated on their opening day announcement. She plans to be open Wednesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. through 6 p.m.

Opening the thrift store has always been a dream, Lord said. She has received a lot of positive feedback from the community and is most excited to see young families come visit and make their outdoor goals possible.

“I’m excited to get out there and let the community know what I’m trying to provide and I hope everyone's on board with it,” Lord said. “It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do and I’m really excited to be part of the Hatcher Pass community.”