The Nantucket Cottage Hospital Thrift Shop is a must-do when you're shopping on Nantucket. It's just a 30-second excursion from the main grid of downtown Nantucket, and totally worth the walk.
Since 1929 (yes, 77 years) the thrift shop has been run by dedicated and hardworking volunteers on Nantucket. Last year, over $100,000 was raised for The Nantucket Cottage Hospital.Year-round resident Carol Chaves has been managing the seasonal location for four summers. She also acts as the bookkeeper for the shop. The Hospital Thrift Shop, she said, is not run by Nantucket Cottage Hospital. Rather, she explained, it is the shop’s charity of choice, as per their original charter. “The Hospital Thrift Shop owns this building, we are in no way affiliated with the Cottage Hospital,” she said, “We’re able to raise money to donate to the hospital over the years.”“We try to offer all kinds of goods at reasonable prices for the community here in the shop,” said Chaves, “There’s no major department stores here. We get a lot of foreigners, community members, and other people who can’t afford the prices on the Island.”
Take your pick, because The Hospital Thrift Shop has everything you could ever need, from plates and bowls to couches and chairs to mystery books and ladies' suits. “The community generously supplies us with the products,” Chaves said, “Without the support of the volunteers and the community there wouldn’t be a thrift shop.”“The best part of this is it’s a community service to both the volunteers and the community. We’re able to help a lot of people out there from all walks of life here, and without the support, we wouldn’t be so successful,” credited Chaves. Her rotating staff of about 95 volunteers are both seasonal and year-round residents, from young children to senior citizens and college kids. She added, “A gentleman volunteered his time to help me do pick-ups [for furniture]. That was huge for us this year.”The Hospital Thrift Shop opens up for a month and a half of donation-drop-offs in the beginning of April, and then opens up for your shopping pleasure the end of May. If you’re lucky enough to be around in October, on 10/8-9 are half-price days, and 10/10-11 are their free days. “What we don’t clear out we bring to the dump,” Chaves said, “That way we start a new year with all new merchandise.”For more information on donating to The Hospital Thrift Shop, please contact them at 508.228.1125 or take a look at The Hospital Thrift Shop's Web site.
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