For the second consecutive year in a row, The Bridge Thrift Store has been voted BEST Antiques, BEST Boutique/Gift Shop and BEST Thrift Store/Consignment in the 2022 Southland Times Best Awards. Votes were cast online in the community throughout June and July at nwitimes.com.

We are extremely proud of these three awards, especially because they were voted on by people in the community.” said Bridge Thrift Store Director Jason Marion. “Our staff and volunteers work hard to make our store stand out and deliver the best shopping experience possible for our guests. These awards just affirm all the hard work and dedication.”

The Bridge Thrift Store has been open since 2016 and is the sister organization to The Bridge Teen Center. Over 30% of the teen center’s operating budget comes from revenue made at The Bridge Thrift Store. The thrift store’s mission is to provide ongoing community service and job readiness training opportunities for students. Known as the “Thriftastic Job Readiness Program” this program helps students gain work experience and leadership skills, in preparation for entering the workforce in the future.

“Our job readiness program is growing by leaps and bounds, and our students are gaining some incredible hands-on experience right here in our store,” said Kelsey Salto, Thriftastic Job Readiness Program Coordinator at The Bridge. “These awards also speak to the work our students are doing on a daily basis.”

Volunteering at The Bridge Thrift Store is not limited to only students. The thrift store is always seeking amazing volunteers from the community to help with different tasks around the store. Volunteers help with sorting clothing, processing and cleaning glassware, driving the donation truck, processing jewelry, and serving as a store greeter. All volunteers are asked to complete an application, interview, and position training. More information can be found on the thrift store’s website.

“We are grateful to everyone who voted for The Bridge Thrift Store this year, and we are honored to have received three awards,” continued Marion. “We encourage anyone who has not yet seen our store to stop in for a visit - we know you’ll be pleasantly surprised!”

The Bridge Thrift Store is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 7pm and Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 5pm. To learn more about our store including volunteer opportunities, donation pick-up, shopping and more, visit bridgethrift.org.