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Agency for homeless women, children ventures into the world of retail

By B.J. Williams
Posted 2:25PM on Wednesday 7th June 2017 ( 6 years ago )
There's a new place in Gainesville to shop, but it's a place with a purpose.
 
My Sister's Resale Boutique on John Morrow Parkway had its official grand opening and ribbon cutting Wednesday morning, announcing to Gainesville that the shop was open for business.
 
The boutique has been in the works for a little more than two years, according to Brandee Thomas, the Executive Director of My Sister's Place, a shelter for homeless women and children in the Gainesville community. 
 
"It's taken a little while. We started actually thinking of opening a resale store about two years ago...and we launched a capital campaign in 2015," said Thomas. "We got all of the seed money together by last summer. Our goal was to have seed money for the store so that operating the store wouldn't impact the shelter at all."
 
Thomas said they found the location for My Sister's Resale Boutique last November.
 
"Then it was just full speed ahead trying to sort things, get things staged in the store and then get to the point where we are today," Thomas said.
 
Not only will the proceeds from the boutique help with operation of the shelter, but also the residents of My Sister's Place will have the chance to work at the boutique.
 
"The majority of our ladies when they come to us have only a background in warehouse work or being a cashier. They don't have a lot of the skills that they need to help them pursue successfully the higher-paying positions - the assistant manager, the manager positions," Thomas said. "While they're here with us at the store, we're going to be working with them on customer service skills, soft skills, sorting, inventory - tools to help them pursue those higher wages."
 
My Sister's Resale Boutique is located at 130 John Morrow Parkway, Suite A, in Gainesville. The store is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Donations of gently-used clothing, household items and accessories are accepted during regular store hours.
 
To find out more about My Sister's Place, follow this link
 
 
 
 
All proceeds from My Sister's Resale Boutique will go to benefit the women and children who live at My Sister's Place, a homeless shelter in Gainesville.
My Sister's Place Executive Director Brandee Thomas (with scissors) is surrounded by members of the My Sister's Place board during Wednesday's grand opening of the Resale Boutique.
Home decor is also available at My Sister's Resale Boutique in Gainesville.
My Sister's Resale Boutique features gently used name-brand clothing, jewelry and home accessories.
Business was brisk at the grand opening of My Sister's Resale Boutique.
Shopper Katie Hughes (right) gets the okay on her purchases from Brandee Thomas (left), Executive Director of My Sister's Place.
My Sister's Resale Boutique is located at 130 John Morrow Parkway, Suite A in Gainesville.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2017/6/545304/agency-for-homeless-women-children-ventures-into-the-world-of-retail

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