Twice Is Nice is $1.24 million away from its fundraising goal as the Charlottesville nonprofit resale boutique pulls together the $7.7 million it needs to consolidate its operations on Preston Avenue in the city.
Operations manager Lori Woolworth has called the capital campaign the store’s “first and last.”
“We pride ourselves that for 40 years we have been a self-sustaining operation and plan for that to continue,” Woolworth told the Daily Progress. “With careful planning, the finances for the purchase of the building are secure. By launching a capital campaign, we are preparing for our future while continuing to do what we have done for so many years and giving back to the community and seniors in need.”
Twice Is Nice has for 40 years sold gently used clothes, furniture and home decorations for the benefit of local organization serving the area’s senior citizens. Today, it operates two locations: 23 Preston Ave. and 918 Preston Ave., across the street from each other.
Business has been booming: Twice Is Nice’s sales have grown 105% since 2019. And sales this year are already projected to reach $1.5 million, according Woolworth.
But with more donors and more buyers, space has gotten cramped at its two locations. For close to a decade, the Twice Is Nice board has prioritized assuming ownership of a space, Woolworth said.
Then, on Jan. 25, Twice Is Nice’s neighbor, the long-struggling Reid’s Super Save Market at 600 Preston Ave., closed its doors. It was the perfect opportunity. Twice Is Nice acquired the real estate on Jan. 28 for $5.5 million, according to city property records.
“Ownership means a permanent and secure long-term home for our operation. The goal is that by having ownership, it will increase our grant-giving opportunities. With 13,000 square feet, our new home at 600 Preston has 75% more space than our current locations combined. This significant increase in space will allow us to more efficiently handle the ever-increasing volume of community donations,” Woolworth said. “The larger space also provides more space to process, regift, recycle, repurpose and resell donations to support programs for seniors, as well sustainability, which is the second component of our mission.”
Renovations at the property are already underway. Twice Is Nice was able to raise the majority of the $7.7 million it needed for the work through grants and funding, but it is asking for the community’s support to raise the final $2 million.
“So far, we’ve raised $754,502.49 from more than 191 donors, so we’ve reached 37.7% of our $2,000,000 goal,” Woolworth said.
Twice Is Nice plans its two current operations on Preston at the end of 2025 and move into the new space at the start of 2026.
According to its mission statement posted online, “Twice Is Nice is strictly a donation-based thrift store, not a consignment shop.”
“Our thrift store model generates crucial funding for local organizations serving seniors in need, while promoting environmental responsibility and providing affordable, high-quality resale goods, including clothing, home decor, and used furniture in Charlottesville,” the statement reads.
Last year, beneficiaries of those funds included the Emergency Food Network, Feeding Greene, Food Sharing is Caring, the Charlottesville and Fluvanna County Meals on Wheels and Loaves & Fishes.
“We also support several programs helping seniors age safely and with dignity in their homes such as AHIP, LEAP and Habitat for Humanity,” Woolworth said. “They are all wonderful nonprofits and deserve recognition for everything they do. The support we also receive from the donors, shoppers and volunteers is amazing.”
For more information or to donate to the ongoing capital campaign, go to twiceisnicestore.org/new-location.
Source: www.dailyprogress.com