A thrift shop evoking an aura of grandeur. This is how I described Lola's Closet, a non-profit thrift store located at 9032 Bellhaven Boulevard in Charlotte, North Carolina 28214.
I visited the store upon invitation of its founders, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Hernandez and on entering, there was a sense of anticipation not unlike those one feels on watching actor Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones' movies.
On sale were works of art, decorations, clothing, shoes, dishes, new and old mirrors, rugs, restaurant chairs, compact discs, VHS tapes and vinyl records, books, electronics, seasonal items for Christmas,Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day and a lot more.
The items are reasonably priced in line with the Hernandez couple's to raise funds for their favorite charities. Lola's Closet is named after Terri's grandmother.
“I was excited to know that Terri would name the shop as Lola after her grandmother, since Lola in Filipino is grandmother,” said Mark Hernandez, a native of Batangas province in the Philippines before he migrated to the US.
Mark worked in Bank of America for 20 twenty years and transferred to another financial institutions and worked there for another decade before he retired. While at Bank of America, he met his wife Terri.
The opportunity to set up Lola's Closet came when the previous owner of the building that used to be a furniture repair facility accepted their bid over others because of their commitment to serve a community and their enterprise as being non-profit.
Bryan Thompson, grandson of the original building owner, said his grandfather would “love that.” Terri said she and Mark wanted to be “part of the history” of thenearly 60-year-old building.
Their goal is to give away all net proceeds to multiple charities that support cancer victims, veterans who are in transition and other charities in the future.
Lola's Closet is no ordinary thrift store since they also sell handmade since they also sell handmade items and will soon teach crafts."I am also learning the differences between running a non-profit instead of a for-profit." the soft spoken Hernandez said.
“ I always volunteer somewhere but I am taking care of my mother now, I can't volunteer anymore or go all the time, ” she said.
She is kept busy sorting, pricing and arranging the donations that occupy the back of the building. Two utility rooms or garages were likewise filled with Christmas trees, decors, shoes, boxes of toys and Buddha statues, along with old chairs, tables, dressers and a lot more.
They received these items from a restaurant that underwent renovation and from houses that were foreclosed and people moving or downsizing. Mark said one such donor called him up and told him to “clean out everything” at his house.
Both Mark and Terri said they need volunteers to help them process the items and cited some volunteers as Jason Ave, youth president of the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) and David Glass.
Though there are vintage items for sale like tea sets and porcelain ware from China, Lenox figurines(each beautifully crafted) from Great Britain and sculpture from the Far East, Terri said she isn't as excited about those items.
“I am more comfortable taking a broken chair and up-cycling it,” she said. Having spent a large chunk of their lives working in banks and financial services the Hernandez couple now focus their time and effort in Lola's Closet.
“I'm not an outgoing person,” said Mark, FACC president in 2001. Despite this, Mark didn't allow his shyness to prevent him from working with his wife to set up the store which operates from Wednesday to Friday at 10 am to 4 pm and on Saturday at 9 am to 1 pm.
They offer up new items daily which may or may not catch your fancy but be patient when shopping at Lola's Closet; you may find something worthwhile. You may even see the smiling face of televangelist Joel Osten at a book cover there. (For comments and questions email me at susanap.dennis@yahoo.com or follow me at Instagram @Carolina 1girl).
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