For the first time in 15 months, Winona area residents can support Winona Volunteer Services through its Clothes Shop. The shop, along with the organization's new food shelf space, reopened July 1 after construction was completed on the organization's new facility, which moved all of its programming under one roof. The first day open was a success for the Clothes Shop, said the organization's executive director, Sandra Burke.
Winona Volunteer Services volunteer coordinator Bev Speltz, pictured, and Clothes Shop volunteer Anita Bohnstengel find joy in a donated shirt with a cat image on it Thursday. Even though prices were raised from $3 to $5 with the reopening, customers happily came back to shop in the store and spent more than $2,000 on opening day, Burke said. The community excitement didn't stop there, as the shop has continued to see a large amount of sales since then.
The goal of the shop, Burke said, continues to be to sell quality used clothes at reasonable prices. "We want to create a little boutique here," Burke said. Winona Volunteer Services volunteer coordinator Bev Speltz and Clothes Shop volunteer Anita Bohnstengel sort clothes Thursday.
She also noted the organization works to make the shop different from its potential competitors in the community. "We've got a lot of competition, which is great," Burke said. The money spent at the Clothes Shop stays in the community and supports operations and programming at Winona Volunteer Services.
“I call this our dail.
