by

Elsie Walker

Volunteer Heather Chandler of South Orange will tell you that “every day is new and exciting at Heavenly Finds Thrift Shop”.  At the shop, located at 94 E. Mount Pleasant Avenue in Livingston, people can find a variety of items at prices which Chandler compared to those at an old school garage sale.  However, it is not only the items which draw people in, but the atmosphere, which manager Erin McChesney of East Hanover compares to that of the tv show Cheers. The staff gets to know the customers by name and the volunteers are like a family.  The shop’s proceeds go towards helping outreaches involved with ending food insecurity and helping youth.   The thrift shop is a ministry of the Church of the Holy Spirit (Verona) and is open on Tuesdays from 10:00am – 2:00pm. 

The shop has been in existence for 67 years.  It began as the thrift shop of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, located in a school room of the church.   There parishioners brought in items they no longer needed, and they were sold.  The shop grew to take up its own area of just under 2500 square feet and was known as St. Peter’s Thrift Shop.    However, St. Peter’s Church closed in recent years.   Parishioners who were volunteers of the thrift shop looked for a new place to worship and found the Church of the Holy Spirit.  The thrift shop became a ministry of that church and took on a new name:   Heavenly Finds Thrift Shop.

McChesney noted that those who visit the shop find savings on quality items.  “Many items are priced at a significant discount to our valued customers,” said McChesney. 

Heavenly Finds Thrift Shop has a variety of items.  In Alice’s Room, shoppers can find clothing and accessories, plus linens and bedding items.   “It is a Linens and Things kind of place,” said McChesney.  (The letters in the name “Alice’s” stand for the first names of several past long-time volunteers.) Nancy’s Nook is like a rummage room sectioned off into areas like housewares, pet, garden supplies, toy, beauty, small silver-plated items and more.  Unlike a regular store where items are predictably replaced, one will never know what treasures will be found in the nook.  (Nancy’s Nook was named in honor of Nancy Rose of West Orange, a volunteer for over 30 years).   

Besides the shopping areas, there is JoAnn’s Workroom, named to honor volunteer JoAnn Rella of Livingston.  There, the volunteers sort the donations that come in, hang them (if needed) and get them ready to be priced.  Items are donated by people from the surrounding area and beyond.   Most donated items are used; however, some are barely used and new. 

“You’re working hard, but it is going to worthy causes,” shared Pat McChesney, of East Hanover, the Assistant Manager of the shop and mother of the manager.   She has been volunteering at the shop for 10 years; before that, she helped on occasion.  She became a regular volunteer when she found herself with some free time and it “felt like you were doing some good with your time.”  

All the proceeds of the shop go to outreach focused on helping with food insecurity and youth.  For example, it has given money to Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors, to an LGBTQ safe house, to a youth suicide prevention program and to two scholarships at Livingston High School. 

Erin McChesney noted that that shop has 20 volunteers who do the work to keep things running smoothly.  They range in age from 18 – 80+.  McChesney herself has been a volunteer for six years.  She noted that many volunteers were customers before they decided to volunteer.  She noted that shoppers “see how warm and fuzzy we are”.  That prompts some to volunteer.

One such person is Jude Spatola, of Livingston.  He was a customer who became a volunteer about eight years ago.  Spatola, currently the only male volunteer, is their electronics tester, checking out the electronic items that are donated.  One of the things he finds rewarding about volunteering at the shop is “that you’re a part of something very, very special.”   Also, he noted how much he enjoys being with the other volunteers and hearing about the things they are involved in.  “Giving is a part of everyone here,” he said.

“The best time of my week”, is how Chandler describes volunteering at the shop.  She added that the volunteers are like a large family.  A volunteer for two and a half years, Chandler had originally been a shopper. She sells vintage items online all over the United States and has found that while others have raised their prices, Heavenly Finds Thrift Shop has some of the most affordable prices in northern New Jersey.

Besides shopping, people can also donate items.   Donations can be left off seven days a week; the outside glass doors of the shop are always open.   However, they do not take donations of furniture and ask people not to donate books. 

 To find out more about donating items or for more information, visit www.heavenlyfinds.org/  or call  (973) 992-1932.