BRYAN, Texas — St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in Downtown Bryan joins the growing list of Brazos Valley businesses and organizations reopening its doors.
“Seeing our people is so important," said store manager, Paula Murphy. "It lights up our day to talk to people and just see how they’re doing and how the community is doing as a whole.”
St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store has been serving the Bryan/College Station community for nearly 32 years. Although it may longer be in the same location anymore, their mission is still the same.
“We’re a store with a Christian mission to serve others with the dignity of Christ. We also have exemplary customer service and friendliness," Murphy said.
The store’s new location is located right off of East 24 St. and Tabor Ave. It reopened with the new location on Valentine's Day, but then a month later closed its doors because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
"People were getting to know our new location, it was picking up and things were going great," said Karen Sanchez, the assistant manager for St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store.
The store will reopen, again, on June 2.
“[Customers] should feel safe," Sanchez said. "They can come in and take a break from what is going on out there. They can come shop, relieve that stress and not think about it, but still feel safe that it is a clean place to be.”
St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store is asking for all customers, staff and volunteers to wear masks when they visit the store. They will have personal protective equipment on hand for employees and volunteers. As well, its changing rooms will be closed for the time being.
"Anyone who has a need for clothing, shoes or household goods can come in and feel safe that they can get what they need now,” Murphy said.
How the thrift store accepts donations will also look a little different. The staff asks that people donating clothing to wash the items before so. The store will only accept donations in a storage pod outside, three days out of the week.
St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store will reopen with normal hours; Tuesdays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.