MRCI THRIFT SHOP: Our History

This site was last updated on Tuesday May 22, 2007

11/18/2008

The MRCI Thrift Shop began with a 1963 rummage sale that just kept going and growing. The first shop was opened June 15, 1964, at 106 Liberty Street in downtown Mankato. More than 30 volunteers helped operate it.

In 1977 the shop rented 631 South Front to have more space. By that time the Auxiliary had contributed more than $100,000 from sales to MRCI (at that time known as the Mankato Rehabilitation Center, Inc.).

Only three years later, the Thrift Shop again found it necessary to move for expansion, this time to 505 South Front, a building the Auxiliary purchased.

In 1988, the Auxiliary received an award from the Minnesota State Association of Rehabilitation Facilities for its contributions to MRCI. By then, the sum contributed to MRCI exceeded $300,000.

The present 12,000-square foot Thrift Shop building on Sioux Road opened in February of 1992. The new building was constructed by the Auxiliary because of continued growth and demand for more space. At that time a professional manager was hired to help coordinate the larger facility.

Currently more than 200 men and women volunteer their tie to work in the Thrift Shop on regular basis, sorting and selling. Additional help is always needed and welcome in the busy shop.

From MRCI Thrift Shop sales, the Auxiliary over the years has provided MRCI's clients with specially equipped buses and vans for their transportation to work and other activities, cafeteria equipment, tables and chairs, picnic tables, client lockers, warehouse dock levelers, air conditioning for the industrial work space, a baler for rags and unusable clothing, high tech communications equipment and many other important items that MRCI would otherwise be unable to afford.