Walking into 1st Rate, 2nd Hand thrift shop in central Tucson, you would never suspect it is the only Jewish thrift shop in the state of Arizona. All the familiar trappings of a homey, cheerful thrift store greet you at the door: the welcoming smell of old books, the glint of framed artwork, the clinking of the glassware on the home goods aisle with every step you take.
Yet, this thrift shop holds more than the promise of a basement bargain or the allure of the shabby chic movement. The simple plaza façade never hints that this thrift store is a vital source of funding for the local Jewish community.
The shop’s five founding members – Tandy Kippur, Patty Valance, Robyn Kessler, Cathy Olswing and Jane Ash – sought to fill the need to keep proceeds from secondhand sales in Tucson’s Jewish community when the National Council of Jewish Women ceased to host its annual yard sale benefit.
For the first two years, the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona sponsored the thrift store’s operation while the board successfully obtained its 501(c)3 status to operate as a community nonprofit.
Most of the shop’s inventory comes from individual donations and estate sales. “It is a blessing to accumulate all this stuff,” says board member Jane Ash, as she explains the impetus for the shop. “We wanted to turn it into a dedicated effort to help the Jewish community.”
The operators of 1st Rate, 2nd Hand take pride in the shop being exceptionally nimble for its size. “Many organizations can only pick up items according to a schedule, and it might be two weeks or more, but we can respond within the day or week, even,” Ash explains. The shop picks up anywhere in the greater Tucson valley.
Board member Robyn Kessler explains another unique aspect of the shop: its sensitivity in working with the elderly. “For many of our donors, a surviving spouse may be overwhelmed with the transition and with downsizing, and we can help them sort through it and help them give back. It is a huge mitzvah.”
After seven years of operation, 1st Rate, 2nd Hand has distributed more than $110,000 in proceeds to various Tucson Jewish organizations. A special aspect of the shop is the ability of a donor to direct where the contribution goes. Whenever an individual logs volunteer hours in the shop or drops off items to be sold, that individual can choose which of the numerous local Jewish organizations will benefit from his or her contribution at the year’s end. The founders created this donor-directed, win-win scenario to avoid picking and choosing between the many needs the Jewish community supports.
The organizations that benefit from 1st Rate, 2nd Hand proceeds range from specific synagogues to the Tucson Jewish Community Center, from childhood education to senior housing, from LGBT to supplemental food programs.
Happily, the nonprofit shop has experienced multifaceted growth. Seeking more space, the operators moved the store to its current location at Speedway and Craycroft in 2009. Its board has almost doubled in size from the original five. Its volunteer corps has grown over time, and the shop now employs a full-time manager. In addition to the organization’s essential volunteers, community partnerships have enabled the shop to bring in Nepalese refugees from the International Rescue Committee and low-income Tucsonans from the Department of Economic Security to volunteer and assimilate into the broader workforce.
When asked of the store’s successes, board member Kessler smiles and says, “Just being here!” Ash agrees, “None of us were retail mavens starting out,” she explains. “From organizing inventory to keeping the trucks rolling, it’s a work in progress.”
The shop’s clientele runs the gamut from secondhand dealers, antique hunters and theater prop masters to college students and the “water glass for a quarter” crowd. Many customers are regulars, who add to the friendly community vibe. As you browse, a cheerful-sounding volunteer comes on the loudspeaker with helpful hints, sale reminders and upcoming events.
The store’s most unique sale? “Probably a little boy mannequin,” says Kessler. “The staff would move him around the store from place to place for years until he finally sold.” Kessler’s favorite item sold was a vintage resort sign from outside New York that had some Yiddish script.
Ash’s favorite thrift shop find came from an innocent looking group of bags dropped off one night. “At first, it was a bunch of clay flowerpots, some with rotting plant matter still inside,” she explains, “but then I discovered an authentic gold Concord watch! All it needed was a little cleaning up.”
The shop partners with local jewelers for advice on rarer finds.
Board members generally handle high-value items personally and assist with online sales. Some tricky regulations on resale items exists, such as legislation monitoring lead content in baby clothes, so those are not sold. Neither are firearms, nor any aspect of Nazi memorabilia or Third Reich artifacts.
The shop acknowledges that for many Tucsonans, this shop is the only interface they will have with the Jewish community. “We are conscious of that,” Ash says, “and we want to maintain a welcoming, accepting feeling.” She feels that the community has received the store positively as far as discovering its Jewish mission. From the small Star of David on the store’s logo to the brightly lit display cases of Judaic tchotchkes, small elements of Judaism permeate the store. The mostly non-Jewish staff can now correctly identify a tallit, a mezuzah or a seder plate. “I love that,” says Kessler.
Looking to the future, 1st Rate, 2nd Hand expects to continue its operations. The board has asked the organizations it supports to help get the word out about their location and inventory. “What I want people to get a sense of is that we’re part of the Jewish community, and we’re here for all components of the Jewish community” says Ash.
As a nonprofit, the shop has a wish list of its own. “We always need more volunteers, new ideas,” says Kessler, “Better technology for cashiering and inventory tracking would be nice. Eventually, we’ll even need a new lighting system.”
Most importantly, the board simply wants the shop to be a fun place to shop with good items for Tucson and the Jewish community. “If they want to be a part of us, we will be a part of them,” says Kessler.
