Martha’s Outfitters: NEW Extended Hours

Martha’s Outfitters is happy to announce that beginning Tuesday, January 18th, they will offer NEW EXTENDED hours of operation

We will be open from 9am to 6 pm, Tuesday through Saturday.

Martha’s Outfitters: More than Just a Place to Shop

Martha’s Outfitters, our community thrift store, is more than just a store – it’s becoming a community gathering place. Already known by city insiders as one of the best places in town to land great deals on high-quality brand name clothes and housewares – Abercrombie and Fitch, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Lucky Brand Jeans, Patagonia, Ikea and Crate and Barrel, to name a few – the store also serves as a meeting place for neighbors, an outing for college students, and a destination for thrift store junkies. Young professionals and hipsters moving into the 14th Street corridor are finding their way to Martha’s Outfitters, too — donating their clothes and shopping the racks while listening to a wide selection of music, browsing the book shelves, and outfitting their apartments. And, with an array of purses, handbags, and small pieces of luggage, household items for kitchen and bath, jewelry, linens, wall hangings and carpets, no one leaves empty-handed.

Still, the vast majority of our clientele remains the lower income and working class families, and we are seeing more of these folks every day. These are the individuals and families that need clothing, blankets, and toys for their newborn, work clothes for the laboring parents, and school clothes for youngsters. Serving over 100 customers each day, the average sale is little more than $10.00. Yet that ten dollar purchase might include a few excellent shirts, a couple of pairs of slacks or skirts, and some outfits for toddlers or pre-teens. Fortunately, through the generous donations of families throughout the DC region; clothing, coat and blanket drives run by school, civic and church organizations; and partnerships with both the local and national business community; we have the wherewithal to meet this growing demand.

But shopping at Martha’s Outfitters is just part of the story. The store really buzzes on Wednesday and Friday mornings when the staff and volunteers turn their attention to the clients who are referred to Martha’s Outfitters for clothing and household items at no cost. Through partnerships with over 100 community organizations, city agencies, schools, and job placement centers, Martha’s Outfitters opens its doors to over 2,500 low-income and homeless individuals and families each year offering them an opportunity to select the apparel and merchandise that they may need for a job interview, getting back to school, or just to get through a night on the street. Providing life’s necessities to those who cannot obtain them otherwise and making them affordably available to those who need a hand in making ends meet is at the heart of Martha’s Table’s mission: Fighting poverty by meeting immediate needs, while putting in place opportunities to break the cycle of poverty.

Martha’s Outfitters really is unlike any other thrift store and a very special part of Martha’s Table’s tradition. Long-term volunteers and staff ensure that the store is well organized, easy to navigate, and stocked with an excellent selection of stylish clothing, functional housewares, and some interesting items for the home. Donations must be clean, neatly folded, and placed in boxes or in paper bags, all of which helps to ensure a selection of quality goods. “In a way we are asking our donors to also be volunteers” said Michael Bartscherer, the Director of Martha’s Outfitters. “On their end, we ask that they wash the clothes, sew on buttons, and neatly package them. On our end we treat the clothes respectfully. They are organized, hung well, and made easily available to our clients and customers.”

So, if you are looking to volunteer or donate, if you are in need of clothing, housewares, or a good book, or you just want to spend an hour browsing the racks and shelves for a good deal….Martha’s Outfitters has it all.

By: Michael Barstcherer, Director of Martha’s Outiftters.

NOTE: DONATION HOURS WILL REMAIN THE SAME, TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY FROM 7:30AM TO 12 PM.