GLOCESTER – Outside the winter chill has crept into New England, but inside the Twice Blessed Thrift Shop on Chepachet’s Main Street is as comforting as a cozy Nineteenth Century home. Dating to 1846 the former Chepachet Union Church parsonage, now the church’s store, was likely a house that had a tailor shop, said the store manager Cindy Chace during a busy recent candlelight shopping Thursday evening.
Located next door to the iconic white Greek Revival-style Chepachet Union Church, Twice Blessed Thrift Shop is a place Ebenezer Scrooge would surely proclaim “Bah humbug” about for the Christmas spirit inside the brilliant white historic house; for, shopping there benefits the shoppers’ wallets as well as those in need and the town of Glocester, and supports the church and its architectural wonders of yesteryear.

The aesthetically-pleasing New England architecture, the village setting decorated with a Christmas tree, and the quaint interior of the thrift store attract shoppers, according to the manager.

The shop was formerly located above the church’s kitchen. Four years ago the shop was moved to the former parsonage. The building was renovated in part, the exterior spruced up, and a ramp added – and the popularity of the store has “gone crazy; a lot more people and business, tons of donations,” said Chace, whose idea it was to move the shop to the parsonage that had been vacant for a decade.
Shoppers at Twice Blessed include those “who like old houses, and our clothes,” and they like that the merchandise is displayed specific to the rooms, such as, for example, dishes and serving pieces that are in the kitchen.
With alacrity Chace explained that volunteers all share in the work of running the store.
“It’s a team effort,” said Chase, and managing the store includes keeping track of the schedules, as well as bags, tags and laundry detergent. “People say the store smells good.”
Chace credits the “22 ladies”– volunteers from the church’s women’s charity organization Rho Delta Club who each work a three hour shift per weekend.
The volunteers are steady, as are the prices at the store. Despite inflation affecting retail, the prices at Twiced Blessed “are the same as when we opened,” said Chace. Everything is donated, she said.
The prices are so low, the store so popular, that people have urged Chace to raise prices.
“We are not raising prices; those who can’t afford [usual retail prices] appreciate our prices,” the manager explained. “Sixty-five dollar jeans for teens are three dollars.”
That’s also the price for ladies’ clothing such as slacks, tops, and dresses, and for men’s shirts and pants. Winter coats are priced at six dollars, spring jackets at three dollars. Shoes and boots are also at bargain basement prices.
The children’s clothes are one dollar, including onesies and sleepers “like new off the rack” Chace stated.
“A lot of mothers love it,” she said. “We get a lot of baby equipment.”
Shoppers might find, for instance, swings, high chairs, and bassinets. And of course, the shop also has toys.
Also offered are linens, books, and seasonal decorations. Deeper discounts are found in the yard sale room, where everything is one dollar.
Donations to the store are plentiful.
“It builds up,” Chace said. “We give a lot of stuff away. The people who get the stuff appreciate it.”
Some is donated to Mother of Life in Providence that provides for mothers, “and supports them for the first two years of the baby’s life,” Chace said.
Twice Blessed Thrift Shop give-a-ways also include unsold t-shirts.

“Logo things that no one buys,” said Chace, are donated to a man nicknamed “The Rag Guy,” who uses the t-shirts as rags at an auto-shop.
Chace gives donated fabric to a sewing teacher at the Glocester Senior Center.
“Donated yarn goes to a lady who knits for the homeless, and coats go to a lady – Caroline – who gives the coats to the homeless,” she said.
Through Twice Blessed’s merchandise sales, the church got a new manger scene, and the church office was given a new copy machine and a couch, Chace explained.
“The town is benefiting too,” she said. Examples include $1,000 each for the Ponagansett High School band and chorus.
Twiced Blessed Thrift Shop is “really a good thing,” said Chace.
Whether by candlelight at Christmas time or any other time, shoppers at Chepachet Union Church’s Twice Blessed Thrift Shop are supporting those in dire financial straits and supporting good causes beyond the church.
“Our purpose is to help people,” Chace said.
Surely after Ebenezer Scrooge was visited by the three spirits he would agree that’s a good thing.
Great job, by wonderful volunteers!
Keep up the good work!