Two big new thrift shops are opening in Fresno. See what makes them different
Update: Both stores are now open.
Shoppers will soon have two big new thrift stores to dig through, whether they’re looking for low prices or a one-of-kind vintage find.
Both are open in Fresno in the coming weeks on opposite sides of town.
Though many new clothing retailers are struggling, sales at thrift and resale stores are growing (though prices are rising even at used-clothing stores).
Here’s a look at where the new thrift stores are going, their opening dates and the causes they support.
Mission Thrift
Mission Thrift is preparing to open a huge new store at 6036 N. First St., at the corner of Bullard Avenue.
It’s scheduled to open with a ribbon cutting at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 7.
It took over the former 99 Cents Only store. At 23,000 square feet, it’s one of the biggest thrift stores in town.
It’s also in a shopping center that’s ideal for building an afternoon around a thrifting trip. There’s a new Starbucks and the Politi library is moving a few doors down into a space quadruple its current size. A donut shop and a handful of restaurants are also on the corner, including the Filipino restaurant inside the Island Pacific Supermarket.
The new thrift shop is a second location for Mission Thrift. Its original store at 181 E. Sierra Ave. will remain open.
The Bullard Avenue and First Street location will have all kinds of clothing, household items, electronics and furniture. It will have a lounge area where people can sit and browse through books before buying, said Sherri White, Fresno Mission’s chief business officer.
Like the Sierra Avenue store, it will have a boutique with higher-priced items that are high-end, vintage or designer.
But unlike that store, it won’t sell cars in the parking lot.
The Fresno Mission is a faith-based nonprofit organization that uses the money from its thrift shops to fund a variety of services for Fresnans.
“It’s really about life change,” White said. “When people are in trauma or crisis they can resource us.”
Fresno Mission has a campus near Blackstone and Dakota avenues and offers services including emergency shelter for men and women, and is about to open a 72-unit residence for unhoused families. It also offers addiction recovery services, serves meals and has a career program, including running its own temp agency. Participants often end up working at the thrift store or its recycling program, White said.
“It provides a lot of jobs for the people who are going from maybe at one point living on the streets, being unhoused ... to employment,” she said.
Mission Thrift will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Neighborhood Thrift
Next up is a second location for Neighborhood Thrift. This is the popular thrift store in the Tower District near Palm and Olive avenues.
The new store isn’t open yet, but is hosting weekend events at the future store at 3139 W. Shaw Ave. It’s at the southwest corner of Shaw and Marks avenues, near Daily Deals and Ross.
It’s shooting for a March opening.
At 6,000 square feet, the store is less than half the size of the Olive Avenue store, but has space for plenty of merchandise. The Olive store will remain open.
“It’s going to be really clothing focused,” said Ricky Bravo, development and communications director for Neighborhood Industries.
It may have less furniture, but will have seasonal goods and other typical thrift shop offerings.
Neighborhood Industries is the nonprofit organization that oversees Neighborhood Thrift stores, Neighborhood Recycling (which provides jobs recycling textiles and electronics) and Blkmktplc. Blkmktplc., for example, sells higher-end items at its store at 1525 E. Olive Ave. and online.
They are all social enterprises, businesses that benefit Neighborhood Industries’ mission.
They help break down barriers to employment for its clients, Bravo said. That can include job training, help getting a diploma or driver’s license, and English-language classes.
For many, “this is their first time having a job, which can be from young adults to displaced homemakers who maybe got out of bad domestic situation who never had a job before that,” he said.
The organization plans to open more stores — with a goal of operating five total by 2029 — so it can grow its workforce training program. Each store can employ an average of 20 people.
“It’s been really incredible to see what this work can do for folks,” Bravo said. “We operate businesses that reveal value in people. I don’t think we’re doing anything but providing a space for people to discover the value that’s already inside of them.”
This story was originally published January 31, 2025 at 11:32 AM.
