Second Time Around offers new life for donated goods

Wedding dresses. Formal gowns. Outgrown baby clothes and bassinets. Wouldn't it be great if these items could be used again? Second Time Around, the new thrift store behind Mohawk Ambulance offers a second chance for used goods, and profits go to fund City Harvest Family Church missions overseas, says coordinator Ann Pratt.

Second Time Around sells clothing for men, women and children, as well as home furnishings at a steep discount. The merchandise is donated, the staff is volunteer, and the profits are given away, making the store a kind of epicenter of giving. And that's the point, says Pratt.

The thrift store is a way to reach out to the surrounding community, and connect them with other church programs, many of which are housed in the same building, Pratt says. One such program, Angelfood, provides boxes of food to families and seniors at a discount. Customers can choose from a variety of packages, including the Bread of Life box, which promises to provide a week's worth of meals for a family of four for $31, or the Just 4 Me After School Box, which provides afterschool snacks for a week for a scant $16, or the Fast and Flavorful Cuisine, which provides convenience meals for seniors for just $28. These boxes are not a hand-out, Pratt says, "they're a hand-up."

Soon, the building will also be home to an internet cafe that Pratt hopes will attract more neighbors, including clients of Saint Anne's Institute. The building also houses some low-cost apartments for families in need, she says.

Second Time Around is located at 181 N. Main Street, behind the Mohawk Ambulance Garage. The store is open Thursday 10am-2pm, Friday 10am-2pm, and Saturday 11am-3pm. For more information, contact the store at 632-1012.