Second Glance: Helping Neighbors While Holiday Gift Shopping

At the Family Pantry of Cape Cod’s Second Glance Thrift Boutique in West Harwich, the holiday season is in full swing. Holiday decorations, festive table settings and gifts of all kinds are flying off the shelves nearly as quickly as volunteers can sort them and place them on the sales floor.

However, no matter the time of year, it’s always the giving season for Second Glance’s enthusiastic community of shoppers, volunteers and staff. Each and every dollar spent at Second Glance goes directly toward purchasing food to bring nourishment to families and individuals in need throughout our local community. In fact, every dollar spent at Second Glance allows the Family Pantry to provide four meals. If you spend ten $10, that’s 40 meals. Talk about a season of giving.

“Second Glance has been humming, thankfully,” said Family Pantry Executive Director Christine Menard. She said that Second Glance has been partnering with real estate agents in the community, who reach out to the thrift boutique when they learn of a large home whose owners are interested in downsizing. “They’ll give them a call, and so we have some really good furniture coming in.”

Menard said that Second Glance’s nickname — the Nordstrom of thrift — is an apt one. The quality of the items which find their way to the sales floor at Second Glance are of high quality, a cut above what you might find in the average thrift shop.

“It’s not a typical thrift shop,” Menard said. “Do people do their holiday shopping there? Oh, yes. We get things that are just unbelievable. Quality jewelry. Prada shoes. Custom handbags that go for three, four, five, hundred dollars new, that obviously were used for one occasion. Spectacular artwork that comes out of some of some of these really nice houses. It's amazing what you can find.”

Second Glance Assistant Manager Daphne Mike is hard at work assisting customers while a team of volunteers — some sporting elf ears and holiday hats — ring up customers, wrap their treasures and bring more items out to replace the ones which are being snapped up by happy shoppers. Many of the volunteers point out that their entire wardrobes are made up of items they purchased from Second Glance.

“When you work here, you want to take things home,” said volunteer Kathy Crocker, who describes herself as a “backroom elf,” going through the mountains of new items being prepared for the sales floor. Crocker also sews the cute and colorful dog bandanas on display at the front counter. “There’s such a friendly, warm feeling here. We just love being here.”

Volunteer Kathy Haff points out that although the holiday season is just getting started, the spirit is on full display throughout the boutique.

“We have beautiful Christmas place settings and decorations to create a perfect holiday table,” Haff said. “The volunteers are all happy to be here. There’s a feeling of kindness that you can feel when you walk in. And if you spend $5, you are providing 20 meals for the clients of Family Pantry!”

If that’s not a good reason to go shopping, what is?

Second Glance Thrift Boutique, located at 265 Route 28 in West Harwich, is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For donation hours and guidelines, visit www.thefamilypantry.com/Thrift-Shop.

To contribute to The Chronicle's Helping Neighbors campaign, visit CapeCodChronicle.com and click Helping Neighbors under “more” on the menu bar. You can also mail a tax-deductible contribution to The Family Pantry, 133 Queen Anne Rd., Harwich, MA 02645, or call 508-432-6519 to donate by credit card.