LAKE PLACID — The Lake Placid Thrive and Thrift store is beginning to accept donations this week, even as construction continues on the new building that will host both the thrift store and food pantry.

Donations can be dropped off Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Placid Outlet at 31 Wesvalley Road. Jim Koenig, president of the Thrive and Thrift board, said they hope to continue collecting donations each week leading up to the opening, but this depends on availability of volunteers.

Thrive and Thrift welcomes the following gently used items: Clothing, footwear and accessories, household goods and decor, books and media, small furniture and sporting equipment. Linda Young, executive director of Thrive and Thrift, is excited for the extra space offered by their new location next to the Shipman Youth Center.

“We were grateful for where we were, but it was time to go,” Young said, adding that the building that housed the former thrift shop on George & Bliss Lane was extremely old. The Helping Hands Thrift Shop, the store also run by the Ecumenical Charities program in Lake Placid, closed in December of 2023.

Since then, Young said the need for a thrift store has not gone away, but that it has increased. She said that people need to drive to other towns to find thrift stores but can only do so if they have access to a car.

However, the focus will be on transitioning the food pantry first. Koenig estimates that the food pantry will open in the new location in mid-November. The thrift store requires some more logistics to open, and they are still looking for volunteers, but they hope to open in December.

Anyone interested in getting involved with the Thrive and Thrift is encouraged to reach out to lpthriveandthrift@gmail.com for more information.

The new food pantry and thrift shop are running under the leadership of the newly formed and named 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Lake Placid Thrive and Thrift, which evolved from the Lake Placid Ecumenical Council and was announced in July. The modular building was assembled in four pieces that were lifted onto a pre-built foundation in August.

Koenig said construction is on track to finish this month and that the keys should be handed over to Thrive and Thrift by the beginning of November. The main task after that will be to move in, although they will be looking for volunteers to help with some painting. The board and volunteers are thankful for the continued support of the community.

“It’s an exciting time,” Young said. “We’re humbled and grateful.”