I found out about Revive from a Facebook suggested page. I was surprised there was a thrift store in downtown Ephrata that I knew nothing about considering I'm up there frequently. As per their Facebook page they are described as the owner had a dream to purchase property, have her own store, and provide affordable housing to women in need. This store is considered for profit, however she states that she uses the funds to renovate the upstairs apartments in hope to help women escape bad relationships by providing affordable housing options. I support her vision.
I was lucky enough to visit the store a few weeks before Christmas when the parking meters were covered. Normally there's a fee for street parking however I'm not sure if it's because of the season or covid that street parking was free. It's a bit hard to secure downtown and difficult to back out of since the spots are slanted but not impossible.
Inside the store has an overwhelming amount of stuff. Not quite hoarder level but there's alot to take in. The property is a series of small rooms, you walk thru one to get to another, with lots of nooks and crannies. It is a challenging space to set up for retail and she does what she can to make it organized. It is hard to walk thru some areas and definitely leave the stroller and big handbag at home! Some areas have nice displays and she does have a good eye for showcasing more precious items.
Overall there's every department that a larger thrift store would have, just separated a bit. What surprised me was everything was yard sale prices - like .50 cents and a $1! While some of the clothing items were dated I did find some nice kids pieces that I couldn't leave without for .50 apiece!
Many of the house and glasswear pieces were vintage and still priced at yard sale prices. I honestly don't know how she makes any money. On the porch was a free clothing pile which I didn't investigate.
The owner was very friendly and let you walk around and explore on your own without being intrusive, but was available to help if you needed her. They are cash only so be sure to bring some and definitely allow yourself some time as this is not an in and out kind of shop.
Worth adding to my thrifting rotation whenever parking is available. read more