Students, residents treasure downtown thrift store

Unique donated goods, heirlooms found at shop; products bring nostalgia

STEPHEN MURNANE | THE DAILY EVERGREEN

Palouse Treasures clerk Mardi Bolick talks about her experience working there for nearly nine years on Mar. 22 at Palouse Treasures in downtown Pullman.

DAISY ZAVALA, Evergreen managing editor

Shelves and racks on the first and second floor of Palouse Treasures, a local thrift store, are filled with treasures reminiscent of the past, waiting to be found.

Mardi Bolick, a clerk who has worked at the thrift store for about nine years, said she enjoys seeing what has been donated to the store, particularly heirlooms from the 60s or 70s.

“It’s a nostalgic feeling to look at those things,” Bolick said. “I’m old enough to remember things from the 40s.”

Bolick said it is a pleasure for her to see things she has not seen in years, and she imagines it must be the same for students who go into the shop and see toys from their childhood.

“It all has a history, it all speaks to people in some way even if it’s just to buy clothing,” Bolick said.

Eric Hoyle, the executive director for Boost Collaborative, said they launched the thrift store in 2003. Boost Collaborative is a local nonprofit agency that provides services for children with special needs and adults with disabilities.

“The donations that come to the store are supporting the local mission and local services,” he said.

Their biggest sale month is in August when students are moving to Pullman, he said. Students positively impact sales and the local economy.

Stephanie Avila, a freshman human development major, said she likes the variety and different styles of clothing options at Palouse Treasures.

“It’s easy to find things you wouldn’t expect to find, especially upstairs,” Avila said, “I was like, ‘What the heck is going on here?’ ”

Palouse Treasures has kitchen utensils, wedding dresses, college gear, and a rack of belts, which is cool to see, she said, and it is fun to walk around and see what the store offers.

Breanna Crone, a junior psychology major, said she has worked at Palouse Treasures for a few months. She said she sees a lot of students go into the store every day while she hung clothes on a rack behind the counter.

“I think our things are well-priced and a lot of cool things come in,” Crone said. “I see people come to the counter with the most random and cool things.”

Bolick said they have a lot of regulars and students who visit the shop.

“We’re on a first name basis — we know what they’re like, and they like that personal touch, so if someone comes in we’ll say it’s over there,” Bolick said as she points to a shelf in the corner of the store’s upper floor.