Shift Thrift, a Colorado Springs thrift store, opened its doors a month ago. Its founder and executive director, Mike Mazzola, also owns Mountain Equipment Recyclers in Colorado Springs.
Shift Thrift’s unique business model is geared towards benefiting the Colorado Springs community at large. It is a nonprofit dedicated to providing funds for other nonprofits in the city. Shift has partnerships with six local charities: Rocky Mountain Field institute, dedicated to the conservation of public lands in Southern Colorado; Trails and Open Space Coalition, which works with the Colorado Springs government to bring more trails, parks, and open spaces to the community; Kids on Bikes, an organization that tries improve bicycle access for kids in the community while promoting bike safety; The Home Front Cares, an organization that provides financial assistance to veterans and their families in need; Blue Star Recyclers, which recycles electronics and other materials in order to create local jobs for people with autism and other disabilities, and Springs Rescue Mission, which provides food and shelter for Colorado Springs’ homeless population as part of a larger mission to help people achieve more stable lives.
When you donate to Shift, you choose one of these six organizations to support. Thirty percent of the proceeds from the sale of that item are automatically given to the charity of your choice.
Along with its effort to help the charitable organizations of Colorado Springs, Shift Thrift promotes conservation and efficient use of resources. According to Mazzola, “We’re upcycling goods. Instead of a used shirt going to a landfill, it’s being reused. That’s one less new shirt to buy and one less shirt in a landfill.”
Mazzola’s success with Mountain Equipment Recyclers prompted him to start Shift Thrift. He had an effective business model that included selling reused gear and donating a portion of the proceeds to nonprofits, but “still saw a big need in the community to help nonprofits generate revenue.” Many of these nonprofits rely on a constant flow of revenue. If they have a bad week or a bad month, the people they support suffer.
What sets Shift apart from other thrift stores, aside from its commitment to local charities, is its atmosphere. “It’s more clean, more attractive. We’re more of a boutique style,” says Mazzola.
Mazzola notes that Shift, to his knowlege, is the only store of its kind in the country, but hopefully its success can start a trend of thrift stores working towards bettering their local communities. In its first month at a temporary location Shift was able to generate $850 for the charities it supports.
Shift Thrift is located at 218 W. Colorado Ave., although this is a temporary location. They’re looking for something more permanent closer to downtown. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Find more information at shiftthirftstore.com and the Shift Thrift Store Facebook page.