New Kingston thrift store offers good threads for a good cause

Kingston thrift shop helps families New downtown retailer YGK Thrift is funding a vital organization that helps families with loved-ones in hospital. CTV's Kimberley Johnson reports.

KINGSTON, ONT. — A new store opened in Kingston, and it has residents looking for good deals, all for a good cause.

YGK Thrift Store, located at 165 Princess St. in downtown Kingston, is run by local charity Almost Home.

Almost Home gives families who have children and loved ones staying at one of Kingston’s hospitals, a place to live in town for free.

Store Manager Elizabeth Suurd says the mission is simple.

“Bring the community together, bring in donations, and make the money we can make to give to Almost Home.”

Every purse you buy, and every cool dress you snap up, means money towards the organization.

“We have clothing for all shapes and sizes,” says Suurd of the selection. “We have children’s clothing, women’s, men’s, accessories, purses, handbags.”

Almost Home’s Funding Manager Sam MacLeod says thousands of people have walked through its doors in the 29 years it has been in operation.

“We realized a couple years ago that we needed additional funds to meet the demands on our services,” he says, “so we put together a small team, found that there was a big gap in the market as far as thrift stores and opened the store.”

Everything has been donated, from the dozens of volunteers who offer their time to work the floor, to the thousands of clothing items given by Kingston residents for the store to sell.

“We did some test clothing drives early just to see what it would be like. In about four hours we filled three storage lockers,” says McLeod. “Our second one filled this store. It’s a real community effort.”

Suurd says that means the clothes are fit for any taste.

“Things you’d never expect in a thrift store. Vera Wang has come through here, Calvin Klein, lots of Lululemon,” she laughs.

Those who shop say the chance to be environmentally friendly, while also finding some new threads for themselves, is a big draw.

“It’s really good! We found a lot of really good stuff and they’re really good prices,” says Noah Homer.

“Any time I can shop and the money goes to a good cause,” says Jessica Colgrave.

Only days into the store’s launch, Suurd says the response has her excited for the future.

“Overwhelming is the only word I can come up with,” she says. “To see the smiles. To see the bags in people’s hands.”