Salvation Army Tries its Hand at Hip in Brooklyn

The nonprofit has opened its first-ever stand-alone boutique featuring trendier items of clothing carefully staged, not stacked, and comfy leather chairs for tired shoppers.

The Salvation Army is going upscale. In late December, the charity transformed its Greenpoint, Brooklyn, donation center into a trendy boutique not unlike many of the hip retailers that have recently debuted outposts in the area. With hardwood floors and exposed-brick walls, the shop features vintage T-shirts handsomely arrayed on a billiard table, and coats artfully arranged in an antique armoire. Nearby, leather armchairs are available for shoppers in need of a rest.

A shop saleswoman noted that some of the Salvation Army’s newest and trendiest donations will be sold through its Greenpoint location.
"The new style allows us a chance to showcase the exciting fashion-forward items that can be found in our stores and makes it easier for customers to zero-in on some of the trendiest items we have to offer," explained Joe Irvine of the Brooklyn Adult Rehabilitation Center, located on Hanson Place in downtown Brooklyn, which is funded in part by proceeds from the store. He noted that the stand-alone boutique—one of the smallest Salvation Army centers in the Northeast—is the first of its kind. Some other centers have small boutique displays within them.
“We thought the size of this store, along with the location, would really lend itself to this style of shopping experience,” he added.