Thrift stores are more than just grandpa’s old shirts and the Goodwill store on the corner. Many shops around the metro area are bringing their own twist to secondhand stores.

The Craft Box, located at 6141 W 44th Ave. in Wheat Ridge, is the “premier thrift store for crafters,” according to staff.  

Owner Liz Boxler had the idea for a secondhand craft store over 10 years ago when a friend passed away and left behind a mountain of craft supplies. She wanted to provide a place for the items to go where they would be appreciated. 

“At least they know it’s going to be loved,” she said. 

The original Craft Box location was in Golden, and the store moved to Wheat Ridge five years ago. Items are donated to the store, and sometimes the store is able to purchase secondhand items from people. Employees want people to know these items are valued.  

“Our goal was definitely to keep things from going into the landfill,” Boxler said. 

Not only does the store provide a second home for craft supplies, but it also provides a low-cost opportunity for those looking to start projects without breaking the bank. Supplies like fabric, yarn, stamps and more can get expensive when purchased new. 

The store also has a mission to sponsor charities and groups in the community. One ongoing project the store features is the “fidget quilt” for people with Alzheimer's and dementia, where crafters can take a kit with supplies to create a quilt with tactile stimuli on it to bring back to the store to donate, or to give to someone they know who would benefit. 

The store also uses its unsellable fabric to make reusable tote bags for people to use at the local food bank. 

At the Craft Box, Boxler said the No. 1 selling item is fabric, followed by yarn, though the store does see a great deal of paper crafters coming in for supplies. 

During the beginning of the pandemic, the shop saw an uptick in fabric sales for those sewing masks. As with many other craft stores, the Craft Box could not keep elastic on its shelves during this time. However, masks were not the only thing people were making during the lockdown. 

“People just needed an outlet,” Boxler said. 

Boxler saw many new faces at the shop (behind their masks), with people picking up new skills like knitting and sending handmade cards to relatives in nursing homes. 

“I think it was good for us during COVID," she said. "Not necessarily a huge spike in sales but more of an interest."

Boxler hopes to continue to see this interest in crafts, and looks forward to new customers. 

“I hope the Craft Box is a place for people to be inspired and heal,” she said. 

The shop is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Saturday. It is closed Sundays. For more information, visit craftboxcolorado.com. 

Soul Dog Humane Society Thrift Store is located at 4725 S. Broadway in Englewood. The small shop boasts consistently low prices for clothing, housewares, pet products and more. 

  Soul Dog is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the protection and spaying/neutering of animals. The group travels to rural areas on Native American reservations to spay and neuter pets at no cost to the public. 

The group’s thrift store helps to fund the travel costs for the program, and other donations offset the costs of medications, supplies and operation of clinics. 

Soul Dog has a low-cost clinic in Fort Lupton for spaying/neutering, vaccination and microchipping. It also offers rotating vaccine clinics on tribal lands on a bimonthly basis. 

The thrift store in Englewood is run by about 10 volunteers. Not only does the store support the mission of Soul Dog, it also strives to support the local people. 

“Our mission is to help our friends in the community,” said Kimberleigh Anders, who has been volunteering for two years. 

The store keeps prices low — $2 for most clothing items, many marked down to 50 cents. It has a good amount of pet supplies that are donated new from pet stores. 

The shop, which has been in the community for 10 years now, has become a landmark of the community, attracting a regular customer base. 

“Most of our clientele are regulars,” said Wendy Roth, who has been volunteering for two years. 

The store gets more than just the regular clothing and knickknacks, however. One of the most bizarre donations was a “dog zipline kit,” which apparently sold very quickly. 

The volunteers at the store describe the place as “a little gem,” and say that people are consistently delighted to discover them. The store shut down for a few months during the pandemic, but now sees regular customers and a number of people buying clothing to send home to other countries or to bring to the Native American reservations. 

The thrift store is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and is closed on Sunday and Monday. Information about the store can be found at www.souldog.org/thrift-store or on its Facebook page, “Soul Dog Rescue & Humane Society Thrift Store.” 

The Good Couch is located at 425 W 115th Ave. in Northglenn. What started in 2017 as a group of guys flipping couches from Craigslist turned into a business with sustainability at its core. 

The Good Couch will pick up most old couches for free, and the staff refurbish them and sell the furniture for a low price.

The company has some parameters, though. It will charge for pickups outside of the 25-mile radius of its warehouse and also charge for damaged or patterned furniture. More information about acceptable donations can be found on its website at thegoodusedcouch.com.

Unlike most thrift stores, The Good Couch will come into your home and haul out the couch that is being donated. Unlike junk removal services, The Good Couch won’t throw it into the landfill. Even the damaged couches are used for parts. 

The group gets about eight to 10 donated couches a day and sells around six a day. All the local furniture stores now recommend the group’s services for people buying new furniture who need a way to dispose of the old items.

One of the owners and founders, Nick Reichert, explained that couches and furniture items are often curated for people’s personal aesthetics and end up getting thrown out when they redecorate. 

“They’re such a large item and so personal to your decor,” he said. “A lot of trash ends up in the landfill, and furniture especially.” 

Not only does The Good Couch believe in helping the environment, but the business also works to help the community. The company partners with Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and helps to donate furniture to the coalition as needed. 

The founders always hoped they could pair up with a local nonprofit group, Reichert said. 

Working with the community and giving back is the ultimate goal, Reichert said.

So far, the company has donated $17,930 to the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, and also helped furnish an affordable housing project. 

During the early days of the pandemic, The Good Couch had to pause business, but overall the company saw growth. 

“During the pandemic, we grew by like 50%,” Reichert said. 

Reichert attributed the uptick in business to the number of people moving, downsizing and generally trying to save money on furniture. 

The Good Couch is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and closed on Sundays. Information about donating or buying couches can be found online at thegoodusedcouch.com.

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