The Free Store
The Free Store, which is part of the Restoration Center, was the very first service provided by Central as we discovered the needs of the community. This is a low-barrier ministry that provides clothing, household items, books, and toys to anyone who would like to shop for free. It is a place where people come together to get what they need and provide for each other out of the abundance that we experience as a community.
General Hours
Donations: Mon.-Thu., 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Sun., 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Shopping: Mon., 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Wed., 10 a.m.-noon
Thu., 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
*Hours can change. Scroll down to check.
Free Store Shopping
Hours:
Mondays: 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Wednesdays: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Thursdays: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
*You can check for any special closures coming up here.
Numbers to enter the Free Store are handed out at 8:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. on Monday; and 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. If you have an emergency, call the church office at (612) 870-4416 regarding scheduling a Tuesday appointment.
You do not need a referral or an ID to shop. We are a low-barrier ministry. There may be days when we need to limit shoppers to two paper grocery bags of items from the Free Store, but you are invited to shop every day as we are constantly getting new donations and placing them on the racks for you to shop. Our volunteers want to be sure you get what you need from the Free Store, so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Other Ways to Shop
Central operates a Mobile Free Store on the third Tuesday of each month. The Mobile Free Store is located at 651 Nicollet Mall. Also, you can shop outside Central on the plaza during the summer “Christmas on the Plaza” events. These events are only held when we have more donations than we can distribute during our regular hours.
Free Store Donations
Donation Hours:
Sunday: 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Monday–Thursday: 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
If you have a car full, pull up to the loading dock on 4th Ave., ring the bell, and someone will help you unload. If you only have a bag or two, you can bring in your donations to the bin by the Welcome Desk.
Good things are happening! Some of our Free Store shoppers have gotten into new homes and are looking for pots, pans, dishes, sheets, blankets, and towels. They could use anything that makes an apartment a home. It’s best if these items were gently used and clean before they are donated to us.
Also, as the weather begins to change, the Free Store needs to provide for folks who are looking for cooler-weather clothes. We do not have a lot of storage space to house out-of-season items. We are always in need of men’s clothing in all sizes.
Please go through the things in your home and see if they might become a donation to the Free Store. Reach out to friends and family as they also may have clothes and household items looking for a new home.
History of the Free Store
The Free Store was begun in 1964 as “The Clothes Closet.” Sunday school teachers had noticed that their students didn’t always have enough clothes or warm clothes. Those teachers started bringing in the clothes their children had outgrown and set up the Clothes Closet every Monday morning. This ministry grew, and the rest of our ministries grew out of it.
In the early 2000s, The Clothes Closet merged with another Free Store and took on their name as it easily and quickly explained what shoppers could expect. The Free Store got its own dedicated space. In the building reconstruction of 2017, the Free Store continued serving our neighbors by moving into a temporary trailer. The Free Store today shares space with the Sunday School opening room on the weekends, and we feel that the ministry has come full circle.
