Chase Me Again: A Unique Thrift Shop for You {Two}

The fun things about this outfit:

Dress - Chase Me Again, Belt - Thrifted, Shoes - Ross

Well as promised, I wanted to tell you all some more great things 

about one of my favorite Thrift Stores, Chase Me Again.

I asked Sue a few questions and today she's going to tell us how the store got started.

It's a pretty sweet story, so I wont make you wait any longer.

I had raised four kids and they had all left me behind as they ventured out into the world. I was bored so I needed to find a project.

I had volunteered for several years with the sweet people at My Father's House, a homeless family shelter, and knew of the great generosity of the public. There were more clothing donations coming in than the shelter could absorb. So I made a deal that I would take their extra donations, start a store, and give them money back. My intent was for the store to only be opened two days a week. I recruited a dear girl friend to help me get started. We all need a good girlfriend, don't we? What I did not expect was the beautiful people that would walk thru my humble doorway. The first few months there were some amazing women that said, "Hey! This looks like fun. Can I help?" Five of those women are still with us today (three years later). They range in age from 17 to 83 and they have taught me so many valuable life lessons.

Because so many people have wanted to be a part of our fun, we grew from 2 days a week to 3, then up to 5, and finally to 6. We started with 1200 sf that was in a basement of an old church with a spaghetti length back room where we tried to sort the donations that started rolling into the store from the excited public. Within the year I knew I was going to have to move the business into a bigger and more accommodating building. After 6 months of searching for something that would work with our budget and some place that would accept a "junk store" we found a beautiful home. It featured 2400 sf, big windows, a great landlord, good parking, and reasonable rent. The week we started moving in, the landlord took note of how many "treasures" we had and asked me if I also wanted the other 2400 sf of empty space next door as well. I told him only if it was free. Within 5 months we were bursting at the seams once again and the landlord made me an offer that would work. 

My business plan was to rent out half of the new space to vendors (thus pay the rent for me) and create a home store to compliment our clothing store. But as soon as I had the doorways cut thru to connect the two spaces the public got excited and started donating even more. So I only rented out 1/10th of the floor space and use the rest of the area for the ever changing donations that we are receiving daily.

Now we have just under 5000 sf, 25 volunteers, 3 staff, 

and the best customers in the city of Gresham!

I told you it was a sweet story! So donating or buying you should go check it out!

Chase Me Again {One}

Chase Me Again {Three}

Ephesians 3:14-19

 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in 

heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant 

you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ

may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 

may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length 

and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, 

that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.