Nestled in the heart of Charlottesville, Twice is Nice is more than just a thrift shop -- it’s a cornerstone of community support in Charlottesville. Since opening in the early 1980s, this 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization has been making an impressive impact by promoting sustainability and offering clothes, home goods, jewelry, and other items at reasonable prices while using the proceeds to provide essential services to seniors.
“Our goal is to provide a local, affordable place for people to shop while keeping things out of the landfill,” says Lori Woolworth, the Operations Manager at Twice is Nice.
Sustainability and Support
Twice is Nice embodies the concept of repurpose, reuse, and give back. The shop accepts gently used items and refurbishes them with care. Proceeds fund programs that help seniors, providing support for food insecurity and aging-in-place services, and bringing life-enriching activities like music to assisted living facilities.
“We’ve given over $2 million since we started, and last year alone we contributed $270,000,” Woolworth says. These funds support myriad organizations including Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, and Well Aware, a group that provides health checks and transportation for seniors in rural areas.
Twice is Nice works closely with The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (CACF) to responsibly distribute funds where they’re most needed. “We received 38 applications this year, all serving seniors in Charlottesville and surrounding counties,” Woolworth says.
An Exceptional Shopping Experience
Twice is Nice stands out among other thrift shops, not just for its mission, but for the quality of the shopping experience. “We cull, clean, launder, mend, and steam,” Woolworth says. “A lot of attention goes into merchandising and having a friendly staff -- it's just a fun place to be.”
This attention to detail has paid off, with Twice is Nice seeing 87% growth since 2021 and hitting $1.3 million in sales in 2023. Shoppers enjoy well-organized, color-coded displays and friendly customer service, making it a destination for both treasure hunters and regulars.
The shop also makes donating easy, whether you’re dropping items off or scheduling a pickup. “For large pickups, we’ll send our volunteer team to pick things up, particularly for seniors who are downsizing,” says Woolworth.
Powered by Volunteers
The heart of Twice is Nice is its dedicated volunteers. With 123 volunteers contributing to everything from running the registers to picking up and cleaning donations, tagging items, and more, their work is what makes the shop thrive. “About 67% of our operation is run by volunteers,” Woolworth shares.
Volunteer opportunities are flexible, with options ranging from a couple of hours a month to several hours per week. Woolworth says that the shop tries to match volunteers with tasks they enjoy, whether that’s working on the floor, helping with pickups, doing processing or database entry, or writing thank you notes.
Looking Ahead
As the shop continues to grow, Twice is Nice is preparing for its next chapter. “We’re setting aside funds to move -- we’ll be losing the leases on our current locations,” Woolworth says. The organization plans to consolidate its two spots into one and has a capital campaign to do it on the horizon.
Twice is Nice is a vital and thriving part of the Charlottesville community that contributes to the well-being of seniors in Charlottesville as well as Albemarle, Greene, Fluvanna, Nelson, and Louisa counties. By shopping, donating, or volunteering, you can be part of their mission to support seniors and promote sustainability.
“It’s a happy place -- people come in every day. It’s not only an affordable and fun place to shop but it has a really cheerful vibe about it and we’re proud of that.”
“It’s a happy place... It has a really cheerful vibe.”