Do you know who lives in the large house on the northwest corner of Grove Avenue and South Boulevard in Oak Park? I’ll give you a clue, it is not just one family, but many families.
It is an organization called The Economy Shop, a “unique charity resale store with three floors of shopping.”
This nonprofit thrift shop was started in 1919 by a group of community-minded women with the goal of receiving donated home furnishings, clothing, and other items and selling them for the benefit of local charities. I’m amazed that even before these women got the right to vote, they founded this charity and that now, over 100 years later, The Economy Shop is still benefitting our community.
Proceeds from sales go to seven local charities: Animal Care League, Beyond Hunger, The Day Nursery, Housing Forward, Infant Welfare Society, Senior Citizens Center, and Thrive Counseling Center.
The small rooms in the house have been converted to specialty areas. You can find antiques, including vintage glass, china sets, silver pieces, sculptures, vintage linens and lace, men’s and women’s casual and better clothing, shoes, tools, craft supplies and much more. As a writer who likes to imagine scenes, I enjoy looking at various pieces of clothing and jewelry and imagining the stories behind them.
On my visits, I sometimes buy scarves and earrings. I have also found bargains for my grandchildren, including babies and children’s toys, games and books. Some of my friends have purchased designer women’s clothing at a fraction of the full price. Customers come from near and far looking for bargains. I’ve seen people of all ages, including families with babies, teenagers, and younger and older adults.
The Economy Shop also keeps our community “green” by helping us declutter our homes. Volunteers accept donations, and sort, from Tuesdays through Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon, except on shopping days.
I’ve donated knickknacks, clothing, and children’s items that my grandchildren have outgrown. At one sale, I was pleased to see for sale an old-fashioned doll that I had donated. It feels good to donate items that were just sitting around so others can use them. Certain items, including appliances, furniture, and textbooks, are not accepted.
The Economy Shop, located at 103 S. Grove Ave, is closed in the summer, as the building does not have air conditioning. Shopping days this month are Thursday, Oct. 3, and Saturdays, Oct. 12, 19, and 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information on donations, a calendar of shopping days, history, and volunteering, readers can go to their website at https://theconomyshop.org.
Joy Aaronson is an Oak Park resident who writes stories for Wednesday Journal about her favorite things in the village. Previously, she contributed to Chicago Parent and wrote the Kids’ World column for the former Logan Square Free Press.