Uptown Threads opens new storefront, revises mission
The organization once committed to textile recycling has refocused as a community clothes closet.
A thrift and consignment store once located in Uptown Oxford has opened a new storefront along College Corner Pike, and its nonprofit’s mission has been refocused as it continues to serve the community.
Uptown Threads, formerly located at 127 W. Church St., was relocated to 5154 College Corner Pike in August following governance issues with its associated nonprofit, Thread Up Oxford, and debt, according to Operations Manager Shana Rosenberg.
On Jan. 2, Bob Black, who’s also an IT director at Miami University and involved in a variety of education organizations, introduced himself as the Interim Director of Thread Up Oxford via a letter to the community posted to Facebook.
According to Black’s letter, Thread Up Oxford’s Board of Directors was recently restructured and revised to bring “meaningful expertise, energy, and commitment to our mission.”
“As the organization was really struggling at the end of last year, funding got a lot harder to get,” Black told the Oxford Free Press. “There just wasn’t enough actual hands doing things to keep it up.”
Beginning in Rosenberg’s basement nearly five years ago, a goal of sustainability soon grew into the nonprofit with a full-fledged textile recycling organization and storefront. Eventually, Rosenberg needed to rent a storage space for all of the donations she was receiving and began processing more than 4,000 pounds of textiles each month, according to the Oxford Free Press’s reporting from March.
But the scope of the textile recycling mission was “too big” and would have required a “huge influx of money at the beginning,” Rosenberg said.
Now, Black says the organization is back to its core mission of “making sure people who need access to good-condition clothing and textiles … can do that without such barriers.” Rosenberg said Uptown Threads is doing this by becoming solely a “community clothes closet,” selling donated clothing as well as pillows, blankets, fabric, yarn and other textiles.
According to Black, the nonprofit is “optimistic” about a local grant it applied to in December. But the board’s overall challenge is finding grants which will cover, not specific items, but operating expenses in general.
Still, Rosenberg said of the changes to the Thread Up Oxford nonprofit and the Uptown Threads storefront relocation, “I see a lot of good in our future. There’s grants that we’re hoping to get, and then sales are up here. … I’m just feeling really confident.”
Right now, Rosenberg said the storefront and storage warehouse next door is being managed through volunteer-work only, although she’s hoping to hire once the organization’s finances are in order.
While the organization pivots to focus on the Uptown Threads storefront, Rosenberg said textile recycling may be a future grant-funded project.
Textile waste, Rosenberg said, remains a significant issue. Even when people donate to consignment shops, those items may end up overseas in landfills and harm the textile industries in other countries.
Rosenberg said of the unusable materials Uptown Threads has previously received as donations, “Our hope is to store those items until we can come up with a sustainable solution for it. We don’t want to throw it out. We promised people we were not going to throw it out.”
‘Karma Bucks’
Rosenberg said the Uptown Threads storefront has begun a “Karma Bucks” program in partnership with the Oxford Winter House, Talanwanda Oxford Pantry and Social Services, Talawanda School District, Preble County Head Start and other organizations.
Customers may collect Karma Bucks through partnering organizations they’re receiving social services from. Each Karma Buck acts as a gift certificate worth $25 and may be used the same as cash at the Uptown Threads storefront to purchase needed items.
Rosenberg said the Karma Bucks are backed through Thread Up Oxford’s funding, half from Uptown Threads’ sales and the other half split between grants and personal donations.
“We believe clothing is a human right,” Rosenberg said. “You can’t get jobs if you don’t have appropriate clothing. You can’t feel good about yourself if you don’t have clothing that you feel comfortable with. So that is our main goal right now.”
Black said of the effort, “I think our mission is really to try to position the people in Oxford, the best we can, to bring their best version of themselves to their community every day, and we’re happy to play our part in doing that.”
What’s still needed
Uptown Threads’ day-to-day operations still rely on individual donors, Rosenberg said. When the organization first told the public of its financial struggles, she said many people stepped forward, including one who wrote a check to pay the storefront’s rent.
Now, besides covering everyday costs, Uptown Threads needs more hands. Rosenberg said the store is also looking to partner with more social service organizations that may provide Karma Bucks to their clients.
Black said of the future of Uptown Threads and the Thread Up nonprofit, “It’s going to take ongoing funding, whether that’s individual donors or help from the city.”
“It’s only going to work if it’s a community effort, and we appreciate everyone that’s chipped in so far, and (we’re) looking forward to what we can do in the future,” Black said.
As far as clothing donations, Rosenberg said items which are always in demand include blankets, towels, sheets and mattress pads, all in good condition. Men’s casual clothing, matched socks, wire hangers and pants/skirts clip hangers are also always in demand.
During the winter season, gloves and coats in any condition, usable blankets, warm clothing and winter hats are in high demand.
Black said many social service organizations might not take clothing donations, as they can end up with more than they use or not have enough space to hold items that fit anyone who walks through the door. Uptown Threads helps solve this issue by having the space and resources to provide what is needed, when it’s needed, all year long.
Volunteering for Uptown Threads is available during business hours, Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., unless otherwise noted on the front door or on the nonprofit’s Facebook page, Thread Up Oxford, Ohio. Anyone wishing to make a financial or clothing donation may drop it off at the store during business hours or email the nonprofit organization at info@threadupoxford.org.
