1. Tell us about the story of how Twice is Nice came to be!
Twice Is Nice, originally Yesterday’s Clothes, was opened over 35 years ago by two sisters who wanted their business to help the community. Our expansion began in late 2018 with a second, more spacious location across the street from the original. We’ve dubbed the stores TIN1 and TIN2.
For many years, the proceeds exclusively assisted Mountainside Senior Living and its residents. In 2019, our focus shifted to creating our own grants to benefit more local organizations that support seniors in need. We have partnered with the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation to create the Twice is Nice Fund for this purpose.
This year, in light of all of 2020’s events, we will partner with Charlottesville Area Community Foundation in 2020 for the Community Recovery & Catalyst Grants to address the needs of the nonprofit community. We are honored to work with CACF and Bama Works Fund, Dorothy Batten Foundation, and UVA Community Health!
2. Why do you think it’s important to shop second-hand first?
Shopping second hand first makes a statement that promoting sustainability, repurposing, reusing and recycling are crucial to the improved health and wellbeing of our world for our current population but even more importantly for generations to come. Some personal benefits include more affordable prices, money staying in the community, reduced manufacturing and energy use, many different brand names available in one place, and new merchandise daily.
3. What sorts of items do you accept at Twice is Nice?
We love clothes and accessories from all seasons and eras. We love furniture of all shapes and sizes, new and old. We love jewelry. We love housewares, trinkets, “set abouts”, linens and books vintage and new. Items we cannot use or sell are passed on to other local and national nonprofits. I love this quote from one of our volunteers, “If you can sit on it, eat from it, wear it, listen to it, look at it, play with it, clean with it, find joy in it, bring it to Twice is Nice!”
4. We see that you are in the Better Business Challenge (that BWB help found here in Cville) — tell us about that and what you hope to accomplish with that program?
We are so excited to be part of the Better Business Challenge. It encouraged us to take action on practices to improve the sustainability of our day to day operations on top of promoting it through resale alone. We also felt it was important for us to be role models in the community and encourage other businesses to do the same. Though we have only begun, we are much more cognizant of the waste created through our daily operation and are taking steps to reduce it as much as possible and to recycle more than we had before.
5. What is your favorite part of volunteer work at Twice is Nice?
Knowing that my volunteer work supports seniors in need in our community, is helping to support a more sustainable environment, and affords me the opportunity to volunteer/work with many different people in a congenial, welcoming atmosphere. -Pat
The people! The people who shop here. The people who bring donations here. The people who work here. The people of the Charlottesville community who benefit from all that we do here. -Aly
6. Finally, what is one thing you’d like to see more people doing for a Better World?
Being kind and respectful to all our neighbors close and far while promoting and practicing life choices that are sustainable and will allow generations to come to enjoy and experience the world. Reduce consumption. Increase thoughtfulness. Share possessions. Lend a hand. And shopping second hand, of course!
p.s. Twice is Nice is currently looking for volunteers — please
click this link to find out more.
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