LOUISVILLE, Ky. — St Vincent de Paul in Louisville is celebrating the opening of its third thrift store. All the proceeds go toward helping the city's homeless residents and families in need. 

What You Need To Know

  • St. Vincent de Paul has opened its new thrift store 

  • It's located in Louisville's South End

  • Sales fund St. Vincent shelters and Open Hand Kitchen

  • The store offers employment opportunities for those in St. Vincent programs

“A family (of) four could come get clothes and shoes and spend less than a hundred bucks," said PatricK Watts, director of retail operations for St. Vincent de Paul in Louisville. 

He has been overseeing the grand opening of this store, located on Preston Highway. 

“I mean, a pair of jeans for $6? That’s just unheard of anymore," Watts said.

"We really wanted to be out in the South End to help this part of town, and we’re not done yet."

All sales support St. Vincent’s mission, which includes operating several shelters across the city. 

“That’s the big thing for me, to be able to see it all in real time and know that, hey, all of this is for something," Watts said.

Sales also fund St. Vincent’s Open Hand Kitchen, which serves free meals every day of the year and other wraparound housing services.

“Right now, we are housing roughly 450 people a night on campus and in scattered site housing," said Tony Nochim of St. Vincent de Paul. "We’re feeding roughly 330 people lunch and dinner every day at our Open Hand Kitchen, which is kind of our community kitchen. We also have a food pantry that helps roughly 500 to 600 households every month."

The store provides jobs to Kentuckians who may have a hard time getting steady work in the past. Jessica Brotzge, who has three years under her belt working at St. Vincent's East End thrift store, said the opening of the Preston Highway location solidifies her promotion to store manager. 

Brotzge lives a few blocks away from the store she now manages. For the last three years, she has been driving across town, working as an assistant manager. Now, she can walk to work.

"It’s in my neighborhood; I get to work in my community, where I see my neighbors and the people I see every day," Brotzge said. 

The Preston Highway store also accepts donations. Items can be dropped off Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. 

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