WIN. Win. Win. When families donate gently-used clothing, furniture, and household goods to non-profit organizations, they can enjoy decluttered homes and tidy closets. Win. When shoppers purchase donated items at those organizations’ thrift shops, they get great deals. Win. And perhaps best of all, thrift shop sales enable these non-profit organizations to do good work in the local area. Win.
We recently visited five thrift shops in downtown Conroe, all within about a one-mile radius. Some are within walking distance of each other. All the shops have something in common: money generated from sales of donated items is funneled directly into local charitable work. However, each shop is special in its own way.
Located at 727 West Davis Street, near the intersection with North Frazier, Angelic Resale has thousands of square feet of display space, plus a large warehouse for sorting donations. Angelic Resale is perhaps best known for its furniture. In addition to “gently-loved” furniture, says Manager Shellie Lofton, the shop has an enormous selection of new furniture that is priced at 70 to 80 percent below retail prices.
Angelic Resale also has many household goods, including small appliances, linens, and decorative items—plus books, electronics, and a vast array of men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing. Pullovers are priced at $4; button-up shirts are $5. Jeans are $4 to $6. Each month, discounts of 50 percent are given on selected items (based on tag color). In addition, seniors and veterans receive discounts on Wednesdays.
Angelic Resale is open Mondays through Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., and on Fridays and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Donations are accepted from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday, (note Angelic Resale does not accept donations that conflict with its Christian mission, such as Halloween or alcohol-related items). To donate furniture and other large items, email a photo to angelicresale77301@gmail.com. “This store runs on faith and donations,” Shellie says.
Proceeds from sales support the Magnolia men’s campus of Adult & Teen Challenge of Texas, a Christian residential recovery program that has a high success rate in combating substance abuse. “It’s a very powerful program,” Shellie says.
It’s All Good, located at 115 N. San Jacinto Street, is a cozy shop filled almost to overflowing with clothing, small furniture, and an impressive selection of upscale home furnishings. “People say, ‘This isn’t a thrift store. This is like an upscale resale shop,’” says Jennifer Perregrino, executive director of Pregnancy Assistance Center North (PACN), which the shop helps support.
While most of the shop is dedicated to displays of interior furnishings, there is also a good selection of clothing and shoes. Some clothing items find their way to a popular rack outside the shop, where they are priced at $1 each.
It’s All Good is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., and on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Donations are accepted during store hours.
Money generated from the sale of donated items goes to PACN, “a Christ-centered, pro-life pregnancy medical clinic offering life-affirming services to women and couples to help with their pregnancy needs up to age three of the child,” Jennifer says. “Everything we offer is free of charge to the clients.”
PACN was founded in 1987; the thrift shop came into being in 2004, says Jim Wenstrom, shop manager. “It’s all about the unborn baby,” says Lynn McMain, a volunteer at It’s All Good.
Located at 123 North Thompson Street in a vivid royal-blue building, the Bargain Box is just a short walk away. The shop is chock-full of clothing, shoes, and household goods, all at low prices. For example, dresses and coats are priced at $5; Pants, shorts, tops and robes are $4; swimsuits and pajamas are $3.
Twice a year—usually in March and October—the Bargain Box restocks, says Evelyn Bowden, community outreach chairman, and shoppers can take advantage of bag sales. They are announced on Facebook and on signs outside the shop.
The Bargain Box is open Wednesdays through Fridays from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Donations are accepted during store hours. Children’s items are particularly appreciated, Evelyn says.
Money generated from sales benefits the Conroe Service League (CSL), which has been helping underserved local residents since 1955, when 12 Conroe women organized to meet a local need. Today, CSL is still relatively small, Evelyn says, but packs a big punch. Members serve the community in a variety of ways, and the Bargain Box and other fundraisers allow the organization to give $67,000 in scholarships each year. “Everything we do goes to the community,” she says.
Another short walk brings thrifters to the Assistance League Thrift Shop, located at 126 North San Jacinto Street. Inside, they’ll find racks of clothing for men, women, and children, plus large displays of upscale home furnishings. The back room is a beehive of activity as volunteers sort and price donated items. “We are known for quality,” says Pat Edwards, thrift shop team leader. “If we wouldn’t buy it, it doesn’t go on the floor.” (Other items are donated to partner organizations.) The thrift shop has frequent sales, which are announced on Facebook and X.
The Assistance League Thrift Shop was founded in 1985, when 41 members of the Assistance League of Montgomery County “emptied their closets,” Pat says. Today, the Assistance League has more than 200 members who log more than 50,000 volunteer hours annually.
The thrift shop brings in a staggering $800,000 in sales each year, generating about 80 percent of the funds needed for the organization’s many philanthropic programs. Among these are Operation School Bell®, which provides new clothing to economically disadvantaged students in Montgomery County, and Assault Survivor Kits®, which supplies local hospitals with clothing, toiletries, and comfort items to give to victims of assault and trauma. “Everything goes back into the community,” Pat says.
The Assistance League Thrift Shop is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Donations are welcomed during store hours.
Tucked away at 1022 McCall Avenue, Unique Resale Shop can be a challenge to find; however, it is worth the extra effort. “The Welcome to Conroe sign is right by CVS, and we are up the hill,” says Jerry Durham, manager.
Shoppers can almost get lost in Unique Resale’s cavernous interior, which is stocked full of clothing and shoes for men, women, and children, plus many household goods and home décor items. There is even a boutique section at the front of the store, which features name-brand items priced at 1/8 to 1/5 of retail prices. Elsewhere in the shop, shorts and short-sleeved shirts are $4; pants, long-sleeved shirts, and shoes are $5.
Proceeds from the sale of donated items go to Community Assistance Center, a non-profit organization that has been providing emergency assistance to Montgomery County residents for more than 40 years. (While some donated clothing is sold, other items go directly to people who need them because of unexpected financial issues.) “People find themselves in situations they never imagined,” Jerry says. Community Assistance Center can help by providing essentials in a hurry. “They can leave here today with food and clothing,” Jerry says. The organization can ultimately help with other needs, too, like assistance with rent and overdue bills.
Unique Resale is open from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays. Donations are accepted during store hours, and volunteers are welcome. “Volunteer your stuff or your time,” Jerry says.
Conscientious thrifters know there are other thrift shops in Conroe, too, including Goodwill, located at 1102 West Dallas Street, and Angel’s Loft Resale, at 2121 Timber Lane (near North Loop 336 West). Win!
