The Mustard Seed’s revamped thrift store opens with new opportunities

KAMLOOPS – The Mustard Seed Thrift Store has reopened.

The store was closed when New Life Community merged with The Mustard Seed as the organization evaluated its programs. Managing Director of The Mustard Seed Mario Borba says, at the time of its closure, the store wasn’t operating well.

“We decided to close to revamp,” he said, “to make sure that we not only serve our community well, but also create opportunities for others to come and volunteer.”

Borba hired Diana Corriveau to manage the thrift store. With the opening of the store initially planned for February, Corriveau began planning the design and layout in December.

“I had a vision as soon as I walked in the building, probably within five minutes that we needed to freshen this place up, put some white on the walls, make it look clean,” Corriveau said. “A lot of the fixtures we had, none of them matched, they were all donation fixtures, so I had a vision of staining them, painting them, making them look unified.”

The refreshed thrift store was on display Wednesday morning (Aug. 19) for its grand opening. It is bright and spacious with a boutique feel.

“I’m very excited, I’m anxious to start serving this community and meet the people,” Corriveau said. “Just super excited to see it open up.”

The Mustard Seed decided to reopen the thrift store as a social enterprise, giving work experience to those looking to better themselves.

“The men from our supportive living (program), they volunteer two hours a day here, but we’re also creating opportunities for them to be employed with us,” Borba said. “That’s what a social enterprise is, giving opportunities for people to work, get paid, not worry about how they’re going to pay for the bills, and focus only on upgrading themselves.”

All of the money generated by the store will be put back into other Mustard Seed programs. The grand opening of the store comes at a time when one such program is just about to start.

“We are partnering with Out of the Cold, the organization, we already have the space where our community can come and stay during the day when it’s too hot outside,” Borba said. “However, because of budget restrictions, we are closed on Sundays and Mondays, but partnering with Out of the Cold, they are going to take the operations on Sundays and Mondays to operate in our place Out of the Heat.”

The thrift store will also be providing some clothing to the homeless. Help from the community can come in a number of forms, including item donations and volunteer hours.

“If the community of Kamloops wants to come and help us, we need people outside sorting, we need people pricing, we need people in the store helping the customers,” Borba said.

“So, welcome, you can come and help us make the thrift store happen.”