Das Thrift supports students and families during back-to-school season

A shopper and her kiddo check out the school and office supply section at Das Thrift.

There are two reasons Das Thrift Manager Catalina Arellano thinks parents shop at the local thrift store for back-to-school clothing and supplies. One is convenience—for people who live in the Upper Valley, not having to head to Wenatchee to shop is a big advantage, especially for busy families. Recently, one mother came in and bought six outfits for her child.

“I thought I would have to go to Wenatchee,” she told Catalina. “But now I don’t have to.”

Even more important than convenience, says Catalina, is affordability.

Das Thrift prioritizes making kids’ clothing affordable for families, and not just when they head back to school. It’s a priority to make sure kids have the clothes they need, so Catalina and her team price kids’ clothing items between $1 and $4 apiece.

“Some items might be as high as $5, but no more than that,” she says.

In addition to keeping clothing affordable, Catalina says the community’s support of the thrift store by donating clean, gently-used items helps a lot. This ensures anyone who shops at Das Thrift knows the goods they find there will be clean and in good condition. It’s all part of a wheel of care, she says: community members donate high-quality goods and clothing, people can buy them at affordable prices, and the proceeds from those sales buy food for shoppers at the Community Cupboard.

That clean, quality clothing from Das Thrift also means kids feel comfortable in the clothes they wear to school.

“They get the dignity of being dressed just like anyone else,” she says.

The thrift store has a variety of clothing for kids ages kindergarten through 12th grade, says Catalina, including underwear, shirts, pants, dresses and shoes. Shoppers can also find an ever-changing variety of school supplies like notebooks, binders, calculators, crayons, lunch boxes and backpacks.

In keeping with MEND’s mission and to make sure items are affordable for those on tight budgets, Community Cupboard shoppers are eligible for 20 percent off purchases at Das Thrift. Interested shoppers can ask for a voucher at the Cupboard.

Das Thrift’s prices and convenience are two of the reasons it’s a valuable asset to the community, but there’s another one—its ability to give anyone who needs them access to a variety of quality goods, no matter their budget.