From designer clothing, shoes and handbags, to gently used housewares and holiday decor, you’ll find bargains galore at The Center Square Thrift Shop in Belmar, New Jersey. Living up to its promise of “Not Your Ordinary Thrift Shop,” The Center Square is more like a specialty boutique than a secondhand store.
The store is meticulously maintained by its volunteer staff, who dedicate numerous hours each week sorting, pricing and displaying the donated merchandise.
“Keeping the thrift shop clean and organized is an ongoing task,” says Belmar resident Joyce Roussell Ciallella, who has been volunteering at the shop since it opened in 2015. “We receive donations on a daily basis, and each item goes through a quality control inspection before going out on our racks and shelves. People will come into the shop and remark that it’s not like any other thrift shop they have been to; some think it is a high-end boutique.”
Sales from The Center Square Thrift Shop benefit The Center in Asbury Park, a nonprofit organization that has been providing support services to people living with HIV/AIDs in Monmouth and Ocean Counties since 1992. The Center assists individuals in need with transitional housing, transportation, home visits, meals, personal hygiene products, and homelessness prevention. Another key initiative is the Center House at 806 Third Avenue in Asbury Park, which provides supportive housing in its 25 fully furnished studio apartments.
“When The Center Square Thrift Shop opened here in town, I knew it would be a perfect fit for me and I would be contributing to such a worthwhile cause,” says Ciallella. “I love working with my fellow volunteers and getting to know our regular customers; we are like one big, happy family. Volunteering at The Center Square fills a void for many of our volunteers who are retired and looking to get involved. It is a fun place to be and you never know what treasures you will find!” RELATED: Shopping In Belmar, New Jersey
If you have items to donate, please drop them off during the store’s open hours (see below). The Center Square accepts women’s, men’s and children’s clothing, linens, housewares, purses, fashion accessories, shoes, and small kitchen appliances. With Belmar's single-use plastic bag ban in effect, they also need donations of paper bags or reusable totes for customers' purchases. The store does not accept donated furniture, computers, televisions, or large appliances.
The Center Square Thrift Store Belmar NJ
800 Main Street
Belmar, New Jersey 07719
848-404-9922
Store Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday
Closed Sunday and Monday
Downtown Belmar, New Jersey, is also home to Selective Seconds, which sells donated furniture, home decor, and accessories. Proceeds benefit the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Find them at 911 Main Street, rear entrance or call 732-894-9393 for more information.
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Story and photos © copyright by Christine Cardellino, owner of www.VacationInBelmar.com and publisher of the award-winning Belmar Beachcomber Blog, a travel and tourism guide for the Belmar region of the Jersey Shore. Do not copy any content (including images) without our permission. All rights reserved.
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