MacGregor MCC - MacGregor Homegrown Business

MacGregor is a town that is defined by how much neighbours care for neighbours. This is a truth that holds among the businesses in town, the individuals, and most certainly holds strong among MacGregor’s non-profits as well.

This week, for our MacGregor Homegrown Business highlight, I had the opportunity to talk to Dorothy Giesbrecht, the current volunteer director of the MacGregor MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) Thrift Shop. The thrift store fills many needs for many people in town (as we will see in just a moment), so I was delighted to talk to Dorothy about what all the store is up to when it comes to bringing our community closer together.

Hello Dorothy! So tell me, what does the MCC Thrift Store here in town all do specifically? Who is involved?

Well, we are an organization that seeks to serve the community in a simple way. We receive gently used merchandise by drop off donations (really we take everything except clothing as those items go to the Austin MCC Thrift Store), and then we sell that gently used merchandise at a reasonable price. All the money that we raise through our operations is then given to support both our local area as well as the good work the MCC does worldwide as well.

All the people who work at the thrift store are volunteers, which is great because likely the charity would not be able to afford to operate if this was not the case.

What does the MacGregor MCC Thrift Shop all do to serve MacGregor?

Well, first off, the MCC Thrift Store is a great way to recycle items that would be thrown away otherwise. That alone goes a long way to cutting down on unnecessary waste in the town. Second, we provide a place for people who may not otherwise be able to afford certain things, to purchase those items they either want or need at a lower price. This goes a long way in helping those members of our community who may either be short on cash or in a rough patch. Third, as I mentioned before, the money we raise goes to the work of the MCC. Some of that money comes back into our community to help out in different ways, as well as a chunk goes to projects designed to help those in need across the world. Finally, and this is an unofficial ministry of ours, but as anyone who has come into the Thrift Store can tell you, the MacGregor MCC helps to create a sense of community in town; a place to meet and get to know new people.

Tell me the story of how the MacGregor MCC Thrift Store began.

The store in MacGregor was started in April of 1997 by some local men who saw the need for a second-hand furniture store in MacGregor. There was a thrift clothing store in Austin already at that point, and since the two locations are so close, it made sense for the two to focus on different items, and help each other, instead of trying to do the same thing.

How has COVID-19 impacted your organization?

The same as all MCC Thrift Stores in the Province, COVID forced us to close our doors for about eight weeks. Since reopening we have put some safeguards in place to ensure public health in the store. Thankfully, with the support of the community behind us, sales have been good since reopening.

Any additional details that would encourage people to help the MacGregor MCC Thrift Store now?

Ever think of volunteering? Give us a try! You won’t find a faster way to be plugged into the life of the town!

Also, if you ever find yourself looking for something, remember to stop by and give us a perusal. You never know what you might find.