The new Give Back Rack thrift store has opened its doors thanks to the Doors to Dignity campaign, led by Barrie Families Unite, a local non-profit community organization.
Give Back Rack, located at 128 Penetang St., raises funds to help individuals access essential items such as clothing, dishware and accessories. The store relies on volunteers to assist with day-to-day operations — working the cash register, sorting donated items and stocking shelves — and collaborates with local agencies, businesses and organizations.
Nikki Glahn, executive director and founder of Barrie Families Unite, said community feedback has been positive.
“It’s been a big sprint to get here. We’re excited that we are open and it’s very reassuring that we are on the right track,” she said.
“We’ve had a lot of people come through the doors who have been supporters of ours for years and some people who are thrifters at heart because they are stoked there’s a new thrift store they can come to — it’s another way to support the work we’re doing.”
Barrie Families Unite launched the Doors to Dignity campaign in fall 2024 with a goal of raising $500,000 to secure a location for the store. Glahn said while the organization didn’t reach its target, it chose a location over the summer. The Penetang Street site is just under 2,000 square feet.
“We started fundraising our Doors to Dignity campaign with the intention and hope that we’d raise enough to be in a bigger space,” she said.
“We were seeking a store size that we know we needed in order to service the number of agencies that refer clients to us — our last fiscal year, we had 36 different agencies send clients to us for essential needs.”
Glahn said the store, which is already at capacity, is on a six-month lease, but she hopes to transition to a larger location in 2026.
“Transitioning to this model, we estimated we need about 5,000 to 6,000 square feet for the store to be big enough and active enough,” she said.
Give Back Rack is open Thursdays to Sundays.
