Martha's Outfitters, the thrift-shop clothing store on 14th St. NW run by nonprofit Martha's Table, is opening a second location in historic Anacostia, assistant director of development Kimberly Lyons confirms.
"We just signed a lease...we are now about a week and a half into construction," she says.
The 2,000-square-foot store will be located in a former tool rental shop at 2204 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, prime space in Anacostia's historic district. Big Chair Coffee, for example, is located less than a block away. "There's a lot of foot traffic," Lyons says.
The new store is also about 25 percent larger than the current Martha's Outfitters location at 2114 14th St. NW, which will remain open. "It's self-sustaining and goes back into the programs we operate," Lyons says. The thrift store is "priced for the low-income bracket," but is open to the public. However, the neediest families can get a referral from a Martha's Table partner organization to receive goods for free.
Lyons credits some of the current store's success to the changing face of the U Street area. "It's great we're in the location we're in. Especially now that the neighborhood is changing, people are walking to work and see a great deal."
Lyon says the new location will open in about ten weeks.
Rachel is the managing editor of Elevation D.C. She also covers tech, business and science for publications nationwide. She lives in Brookland.