Dane County’s famed thrift store opened up its Williamson Street doors again as St. Vincent De Paul showcased its remodeled space.
St Vincent De Paul unveiled its remodeled store on Willy Street on Oct. 1 with expanded space at a grand reopening celebration. Changes to the store expand the customer shopping experience with a larger area and an accompanying larger selection. A second-floor area in the building connected to St. Vincent, on the corner of Williamson Street and South Baldwin Street, will house its St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and Microlending arms.
“I love that this place is in the heart of Willy Street and that it was one of the first places that I was introduced to because I think that it is so quintessentially Madison,” Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said. “I lived a block away, over on Jennifer Street, and I didn’t really know anybody or know anything about Madison. I used to shop here and I’m fairly certain that I have clothing in my closet from St. Vinny’s.”
(Photo by Omar Waheed)
Rhodes-Conway recalled her early experiences in Madison exploring the neighborhood. St. Vincent’s was one of the first places she discovered as a Madisonian — and she came to know the importance the store has for the community. With its remodel, Mayor Rhodes-Conway is excited to see how it can continue to serve Madison.
Changes to the retail space mainly feature an expanded clothing area. The portion next to the register where the clothing section sat prior has now been pushed out to encompass where the large book and music area was. The book and music section has been moved and reduced to a drastically smaller area towards the left of its former location.
Where it houses its community programs is completely new. A short walk out of the store down to 1301 Williamson St., which is still in the same building strip, will take you into its office spaces.
(Photos by Omar Waheed)
The space opens with a large, bright mural that spans two stories as you head up. The area features multiple rooms for families and community members to meet with St. Vincent de Paul’s staff. The exact plans for the functions of each room aren’t firm yet, but St. Vincent hopes to use new spaces for families and their children, educational programs, and to meet with community members for its microlending program.
“I can help John with a $374 car repair this month, and I can help Stephanie with $482 in rent next month. And maybe John doesn’t need help after that. You don’t get to do that if you don’t have your own money to work with,” said Julie Bennett, CEO of St. Vincent de Paul-Madison.
The microlending program, while not new, took a hiatus due to building construction, according to Karla Sandoval-Ruiz, bilingual client services assistant. The program allows for small, low-interest loans between $400-2,500 to cover emergency expenses. It plans to restart the program again in around a month.
The new space houses an adult learning center that will offer classes on financial literacy, driver’s education and parenting courses, or, how Bennett describes it, “just the things that are barriers to people taking the next step.”
