Awning-three-300x225

First United Thrift Store, located at 340 East Hastings Street, (four doors east of the Church) opened for business at the beginning of July 2009.

Operated by staff member Leona Bentz with the help of DTES and wider community volunteers, the Thrift Store is a new social enterprise initiative of First United providing access to low- cost, gently used clothing and household items for low-income residents of the Downtown Eastside.

The store is open from Tuesday to Friday, 12:00 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The phone number of the store is: 604-569-1117.

We are able to RECEIVE DONATIONS at the following times:

Tuesday to Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (these hours are determined by parking limitations on Hastings Street). Please call ahead to arrange for a drop-off at an appointed time.  We do this due to space limitations.

All donations will be gratefully received through the front door of the store on Hastings. There is a drop off zone marked on Hastings and a sign on the sidewalk. Foodstuffs intended for the church can be dropped off at the store and will be moved by staff and volunteers to the kitchen.

Storage space and volunteer time at our disposal is limited and in order to make the best use of your donation we apreciate being able to control the volume and the type of clothing that is donated and to ensure that the store is well stocked throughout the year.

First United remains committed to providing emergency clothing for those who are in need and keeps a space well-stocked in the church to meet the needs of the community. Items for emergency clothing will be sorted at the store and then moved to the emergency clothing room in the Mission.

Volunteers at the Thrift store are more than welcome. Please contact Natalie Lanoville at;  natalie.lanoville@firstunited.ca for details or call 604-681-8365 Ext. 104.

Items always needed for the Mission and for the Thrift Store

  • Clothing specific;  
    Mens AND Womens casual pants and jeans
    Sweatpants and jogging pants, PJ bottoms
    Runners and sandals, Casual leather shoes
    T-shirts-long and short sleeve, shorts and tank tops
    DOLLAR store RAIN ponchos
    HOODIES/sweat shirts
    We are a very casual community and our community members wear our west coast apparel
    RAINCOATS (but not the London Fog kind)
  • Jewelry and Accessories
  • Household Wares
  • Bric-a-Brac and knicknacks
  • Dishware, Lamps
  • Blankets
  • Small electical appliances

Please, no single glassware or glass mugs.