By Steffen Klenk
On a busy November weekend in Ocean City, Asbury Avenue is bustling as Christmas decorations line the streets. Storefronts are dressed up with the hottest gifts draped in seasonal décor. Customers browse the isles, gently searching the wide array of donated clothes, household items, and goods available for sale. The holiday shopping season is well underway, and now is the time to begin your search for that perfect holiday gift.
While you may be interested in shopping at big box stores, you might want to consider spending at your neighborhood thrift store. In South Jersey, we are fortunate to have a plethora of thrift stores that cater to the community.
Bastazo Thrift and Coffee is one of Ocean City’s newest shopping destinations. Owners Sam and Cyndi Sorbello purchased the property last year, and customers will instantly notice the unique clothing racks made from of upcycled doors as soon as they walk into the building. They too were donated from an older home being torn down, and were lovingly repurposed. Sorbello says she has witnessed the love of the community since opening day. “The heart of people has really been encouraging.”
According to their website, Bastazo is on mission to create a caring place for gently used items to be purchased, in an atmosphere that is rooted in love. With each purchase, a portion of the store’s proceeds support cancer patients living in our community, through the Colleen Sorbello Cancer Foundation. They also connect with other cancer support organizations such as AtlantiCare and Cancer Support Community New Jersey at Gilda’s Club.
Now more than ever, the spirit of the season can be felt at stores like Bastazo Thrift & Coffee. The shop is open Thursday – Saturday between 10am-4pm, with expanded hours until 8pm on Friday nights. You can learn more by visiting their website at bastazo.org. Donations are graciously accepted.
While you are in town, take a short walk to Oh Sea Thrift. Located at 841 Central Avenue, this new store specializes in gently-used clothing, art, furniture and much more. Proceeds from each sale aid in protecting local wildlife and animals through the Humane Society of Ocean City. Or, take a short drive to Somers Point or Marmora and visit Shore Medical Center Thrift Shops. Each location offers a highly unique collection of contemporary fashions, artwork, collectible items, books and music, all to support hospital projects and initiatives.
There are many benefits to shopping at your local thrift store. According to research, the average American throws away over 70 pounds of clothing, on average, every year. That equals roughly 191 t-shirts per person. Only 15% of those people donate or recycle their used clothes. By spending your money at a thrift store, not only does it save on water use, but thrifting uses fewer chemicals, by reducing the amount of cotton needed to make new t-shirt or a pair of jeans. Here’s an interesting fact… it takes over 8,000 liters of water to make a pair of jeans!
By donating to our local thrift store, you are giving ‘new’ life to gently used clothing, toys, knick knacks, photos, etc. This is just one way of “green” keeping useful items out of landfills and, as in most thrift shops, giving back and supporting people and projects right within our own communities.
Steffen Klenk is a multimedia journalist. He resides in Ocean City and enjoys capturing the eclectic moments of shore life.
