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416 East Park Street Livingston, MT 59047

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The Community Closet is in business to serve the local community. As industry leaders, we are always expanding our reach and venturing into innovative concepts that benefit both the local and global community. Check out what we have been up to lately, or peruse our archives to learn more about our rich history of community involvement.

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Shopping you can feel good about

Shopping you can feel good about

The Community Closet’s mission is larger than providing affordable second-hand clothing and household goods; they are also one of the largest charitable foundations in Park County. Since opening their doors in 2005 and taking in donations of goods that may have otherwise ended up in the landfill, the Community Closet has donated thrift sale proceeds to nonprofit activities in Park County – over $400,000 in cash grants as of December 2017 – to charitable groups from the 4-H Li

Community Closet’s Annual Patagonia Brand Sale Saturdays in February

What’s better than a sale of Patagonia brand apparel? A sale at thrift store prices with the profits donated back to the community. “Where Philanthropy Meets Fashion,” is the motto of the Community Closet in Livingston, who’ve donated over $400,000 to charitable activities in Park County. “Everyone loves a bargain,” Community Closet CEO and founder, Caron Cooper says, “Plus the sale helps generate more revenue, which goes back into the community.” Every year, the nonprofit gr

Paying It Forward

Paying It Forward

When the Community Closet started 13 years ago, we were blessed to have people support our concept of a new sort of nonprofit that reduces waste while contributing financially to our community. Generous local businesses and individuals donated the start-up funds of $12,000 and the Community Closet has been paying it forward ever since. This month’s featured grant recipient is Western Sustainability Exchange’s Farmer’s Market Young Entrepreneurial Stewards (YES) program. Meet

*Update* Diaper Drive Empowers Local Families

Shopping That Supports Our Community

Shopping That Supports Our Community

Every month, the Community Closet features a Park County charity that shoppers can donate directly to through the donation jar located on our cash register counter. April’s charity is the Friends of the Community. Run on a shoe-string budget with inspiring dedication by Executive Director Elaine Kimbler, their mission is “to alleviate the many sufferings of poverty experienced by so many in our community.” Friends of the Community provides basic assistance to people in need.

Curated Closet Moves to Vogue Shop on Main Street, Livingston

Curated Closet Moves to Vogue Shop on Main Street, Livingston

Always a trendsetter, the Curated Closet is contributing to downtown Livingston’s revitalization by moving to the historic Vogue Shop location at 117 South Main Street. The Curated Closet links Livingston’s past, present, and future by curating premium donated vintage goods, attracting current shoppers, and investing in the future by donating proceeds from sales to nonprofit and civic activities in Park County. The Curated Closet has opened their doors in the historic Vogue S

Closet returns to Boise with vintage garb for Treefort indie-music festival

Closet returns to Boise with vintage garb for Treefort indie-music festival

Five years ago, the Community Closet thrift store hauled a truckload of eclectic vintage clothing 500 miles over the mountains to the inaugural Treefort Music Festival in Boise, Idaho. The Closet’s popup shop — on a downtown street, surrounded by live indie music — was an instant hit. Band members and concertgoers found items they loved and spread the word, giving rise to its reliable and cherished presence at Treefort every year since. “I bought a beautiful ‘60s cotton wedd

Community Closet Spreads Word of Recalled Cuisinart Food Processor

Community Closet Spreads Word of Recalled Cuisinart Food Processor

In December of 2016, Cuisinart’s parent company announced a recall of 8 million riveted blades of certain Cuisinart food processors sold between 1996 and 2015 in one of the largest small appliance recalls in US history. Community Closet Founder and CEO, Caron Cooper was surprised to find one of the recalled models on the thrift store shelf. “This is the first time in over five years of looking for recalled items that we actually had one for sale on the day of recall, since th

PechaKucha

PechaKucha

Did you know Community Closet Thrift Store founder and CEO Caron Cooper gave a PechaKucha Bozeman talk? And what the heck is PechaKucha? PechaKucha (Japanese: [petɕa ku͍̥tɕa],[1] meaning chit-chat) is a presentation style in which 20 slides are shown for 20 seconds each (6 minutes and 40 seconds in total). The format, which keeps presentations concise and fast-paced, powers multiple-speaker events called PechaKucha Nights. The presentation format was devised by Astrid Klein a

Alley Annex inventory always fresh & unpredictable

Alley Annex inventory always fresh & unpredictable

Little house of big bargains integral part of the successful Community Closet 'machine' At 9:45 on a Saturday morning, the regulars are already gathering outside the Alley Annex. Some hang back and chat, sharing community news and gossip. Others shade their eyes and peer in the windows, scoping out the new treasures culled from the thrift store next door. Inside the tiny alley house, sales clerk Robin Zank readies the till, then makes her way around the store to cherry pick a

Community Closet just 'Clowning Around'

Community Closet just 'Clowning Around'

Make ‘em laugh. Make ‘em smile. And, yes, maybe just creep ‘em out a little so they don’t stay in there too long – the bathroom that is. The Community Closet staff takes great pride in their imaginative bathroom designs. Every year they redecorate the bathroom with a new theme. It’s become a bit of a local landmark; people go out of their way to check it out. “We have people who are only here in the summer and they drop by and make a beeline to the back to see what the new ba

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