How the Totally Free Clothes Store is creating a sense of community

The Totally Free Clothes store has made it its mission to meet the needs in the community in both tangible and intangible ways.

It provides second chances and new lives for not just clothes, but people.

Since its inception in 2018 in Paul Ditz’s modest law office in uptown Shelby, it has outgrown two locations and given away hundreds of thousands of items.

Recently, the store was moved from its location on South Lafayette Street into a bigger space on Gidney Street near Lowe’s.

Inside, volunteers work to sort donations, put out new clothes and assist customers.

Sequined prom gowns sparkle on racks, and there is even the occasional wedding dress. There are bathing suits, rows of brand new men’s dress shoes, a tree of hats and rows of women’s blouses.

Kelly Smith, who was recently shopping with her toddler, said she makes a trip to the store once a month.

“It helps a lot,” she said. “He’s actually wearing stuff I got from here.”

When her son grows out of the clothes, she brings them back to be used by someone else and picks out new things.

She said she first discovered the store when she was at Food Lion one day and saw the Totally Free Clothes sign on the door of the store next door and went to check it out.

“I’ve been coming ever since, once a month,” Smith said.

Sometimes she is able to pick up some free food as well.

“Every little bit helps,” she said.

There are no income requirements, and it’s not just for the down and out. Anyone can come in to shop for a new pair of pants, pick some socks or a shirt.

When Ditz, who dreamed up the idea when his client’s needed suits for court and couldn't afford them, stepped down from running the store, Melanie Burr took up the challenge.

The Totally Free Clothes Store is operated through an army of dedicated volunteers garnered from Facebook posts, churches and even customers.

“It’s like a little family,” Burr said. “When somebody needs help, people volunteer to help.”

They are also working with the court system, and people who need community service hours can complete them working at the store.

“We’ve had some really good workers,” Burr said. “We’ve had some say after finishing their time, ‘We’re going to come back through because we really love it.’”

They also are working with an agency that offers one on one work with clients, and those clients are able to learn practical job skills to help them gain independence by working in the store.

The store doesn’t just offer second chances for clothing, but for people too.

“That’s what we wanted it to be,” Burr said. “We have so much room here, we can work with people and their needs and hopefully we can grow even more.”

The Totally Free Clothes Store shares the large building with Trailhead Resources and Burr said when Gary Leigh, founder of Trailhead, asked if they wanted to divide the space, which uses separate entrances, they jumped at the opportunity. As they continued to grow on South Lafayette Street, they were bursting at the seams and the new location gave them more room, more storage and Burr said the price was right.

They now have a bigger children’s section and a small area where kids can color or play with toys while parents shop.

And the donations continue to pour in.

“We are very blessed with donations,” Burr said. “We get donations every day and never run out.”

She said they still have clothing packed in boxes waiting to be brought out.

Initially they started with a 10 item a month limit but have since increased it to 20 because they have so much to give away.

In the 21 days they were open in January, Burr said they gave away 7,131 items. Just in the first week and a half of February, they gave away a little over 2,000.

“I’m working on numbers now, and it’s unreal to see what it was a year ago and what it is now,” she said. “We give away a lot of clothes.”

They’re currently working on a food pantry with nonperishable items and already have canned goods and bags of beans and rice lining the shelves on the far wall of the store.

She said people can bring in donations of nonperishables or cash to contribute towards the pantry.

Shelby Mission Camp and Greater Cleveland County Baptist Association and local churches have pitched in to help as well.

Customers check in at the front as they arrive, and a volunteer takes their name and checks a record book to see how many items they’ve already received for the month so they don’t exceed the 20 limit. Burr said it’s not a hard and fast rule, however, and if a family comes in who lost things in a house fire or were displaced as result of a domestic situation, they’ll make sure they’re taken care of.

They also help connect them to other resources in the county. If someone needs medical equipment or furniture, they try to find ways to help meet those needs. They keep a list of resources to hand out, including all the local places that offer meals throughout the week.

“We also pray with people if they want us to,” Burr said.

She said it’s all about building relationships, fostering community and making a difference in people’s lives.

“When they come in, we can call them by name and they call us by name. We carry on and it’s a lot of fun,” Burr said. “The customers are what we’re here for. We want them to be happy and have an awesome experience.”

The store partners with Feeding Kids Cleveland County to include store flyers with the food and backpacks that are distributed to families during breaks.

They also work with Department of Social Services and when children are displaced and need clothes, they are able to provide for them.

The Totally Free Clothes Store is holding a yard sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 19 and 20 at 825 Elmwood Drive. If it rains, it will be held at the store at 318 Gidney St. Donations for the yard sale are being accepted and can be dropped off at the store,

For more information, visit The Totally Free Clothes Store on Facebook.

On Aug. 12, there will be a barbecue fundraiser with silent auction at the store with live music.

Reporter Rebecca Sitzes can be reached rsitzes@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Totally Free Clothes Store provides clothes and community