Thrifty boutique emphasizes ‘upcycling,’ service

PALMER — At Thrifters Rock, business is as much about selling donated clothing as it is contributing to the greater community.

Owned by Church on the Rock-Palmer, Thrifters Rock has grown into one of the largest thrift stores in the Valley in just five years. Once a small endeavor in what is now home to the Mat Valley Dance Studio, the shop now fills a space about five times larger at 9201 Frontage Rd. in Palmer, next to Sophia’s Kafe Neo.

“God’s blessing is all over this place,” said store manager Vicki Hoyman.

Although the goal of the thrift store was and is to raise funds for the building of a permanent church building — the Palmer congregation currently meets at a local elementary school, with pastors Chris and Laurie Miller — there’s more to Thrifters Rock than Christian music and missionaries.

“We’ve had a lot of fun with upcycling,” Hoyman said.

Looking around the high-ceilinged store, customers will see hardly more than a few inches of wall space not covered with whimsical decorations, created from non-traditional materials. In the dressing rooms, for example, records, old books and belts funk-ify the walls, a design idea that has taken hold at Magpie Clothing Exchange as well. Multiple doors, bookcases and headboards have been repurposed as tables and display areas for other donated items at Thrifters Rock, and the themed check-out counter displays change seasonally with volunteer-made creations. Currently, stuffed sea creatures and ocean scenes made from denim and other cloth materials adorn the area around the cash registers.

“This is like the total dream job,” said store manager Sherringa Holmstrom, who came up with the idea for Thrifters Rock.

She said it’s the creative volunteers that “make this place shine.”

And to reward them for that, the managers — Mo MacCracken is the third — offer $1 of store credit for every hour worked.

“(It) doesn’t sound like a like a lot, but when you can buy a new blouse for ($3.50 or $4), and you volunteer for 4 hours, you go out of here not only with the volunteer fund but you’ve got a new blouse to wear,” Hoyman said.

While both the volunteer hours and potential business attire accumulated at Thrifters Rock could seal the deal for teens after a job interview, the hours can especially make a difference for college-bound students, Hoyman said.

“We really encourage teens to come (volunteer) because it looks great on their resume,” she said. “If it’s somebody that’s responsible … we’ll teach ’em how to do the cash register, how to work with customers, I mean they get a lot of experience in here.”

Holmstrom said they currently have 13 part-time, paid employees and about as many regular volunteers. Typically, she said, four or five people will be working on a given day.

Thrifters Rock also offers opportunities for young people convicted of minor offenses to complete community service probation orders by volunteering at the store. As long as the offense wasn’t theft, Hoyman said, they’re happy to help.

“We try to be really community oriented,” she said. “We’re just out there to help people.”

Whether it’s giving a person in need in-store credit with referral from a pastor or social worker, hosting project-based fundraisers for youth, or selling “boutique-y” clothing creations, “it’s just fun,” Hoyman said.

For daily deals and more information on Thrifters Rock, find them on Facebook, or call 745-7625. Thrifters Rock is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Contact Caitlin Skvorc at 352-2266 or caitlin.skvorc@frontiersman.com.