by John Sorce
Special to The Leaven
OVERLAND PARK — Another TurnStyles Thrift Store is now open in Johnson County.
The new store is located at 12065 Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park. It is the third store in Overland Park, with the fourth being located in Mission.
The store opened on June 25 with a blessing from Archbishop Shawn McKnight followed by a ribbon cutting.
“Our Catholic Charities is very strong and very important in our mission as a local church,” Archbishop McKnight said. “Whenever we feed the hungry, give protection to those who need it and clothe the naked, we’re performing our mission. And that is a tangible, concrete way for us to proclaim our belief in Jesus and his resurrection.”
“We’re so excited to get these doors open,” added Lauren Solidum, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas. “TurnStyles is so much more than a thrift store. We’re so grateful to have this ministry to be able to support the broader mission of everything we do, and we’re so grateful for the hard work that went into this.”
Kiesha Gracius, senior director of Social Enterprise Operations with Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, feels the location will be a popular one.
“We have been looking to expand and this space was available,” Gracius said. “It is in a great spot and is very visible. We feel we can draw a lot of shoppers and donations to this location.
“We’ve curated some great products that will be available at a price people aren’t going to find anywhere else. But when someone shops with us, it’s not just shopping. It’s helping in the community. When you make a purchase, that money is going to move on and help someone else.”
Each store also participates in a Register Round-Up program that was initiated two years ago. The cashier will ask at checkout if the customer would like to round up their change to support Catholic Charities’ various food programs.
“The majority of our customers know that we are serving the community and our food programs are so important,” Gracius said. “We have people who have been served by our pantries shop in our stores and understand what the pantries do for them. So, many of them are willing to round up their change so we can extend the help to others.”
One hundred percent of round-up funds go directly back into Catholic Charities’ food programs.
The program raised about $20,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30 between the three pre-existing stores. The target goal for the fiscal year starting July 1 is $25,000 between four stores, and the hope is to exceed that number.
There are posters on the sales floor and near the registers that tell the donor where these funds will directly go.
Gracius said work on the Metcalf store began in February and it has been a team effort to arrive at the grand opening.
“It has been so exciting to see it all come together from the shell of a building to seeing our vision come to life,” Gracius said. “So many departments came together to bring us to where we are today. It’s exciting to be in a new community.”
People can donate to TurnStyles at any of their four locations. There are also donation bins at various parish parking lots and people can also call to schedule a home pickup for larger donations by calling (913) 433-2100.
Gracius wants people to remember that when individuals donate or shop at one of the TurnStyles stores, they make an impact beyond that act.
“When people donate or shop at one of our stores, this is not where it ends,” Gracius said. “Their donations and purchases continue on and really change lives, and that’s what this is all about.”
More information about TurnStyles can be found on their website at: catholiccharitiesks.org/turnstyles.
