MYSTIC WOMAN'S CLUB THRIFT SHOP

All members of the club volunteer at the Mystic Woman’s Club thrift shop. 

The Mystic Woman’s Club (MWC) began in 1968 with ten women. The first major fundraiser - goal of $15,000, was to build a beach pavilion at the Mystic Community Center - now the Mystic YMCA. In 1969 the MWC joined the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) and remains part of this organization today. 

The Mystic Woman’s Club opened a Thrift Shop in 1969. The thrift shop, located today at 165 So. Broad Street, Pawcatuck, across from the Stonington HS, is the club’s primary source of fundraising and generates anywhere from $10,000 - $20,000/year. The shop also sells thrift shop items on eBay. All money made from the thrift shop is given back annually to the community by way of Grants. 

·  The MWC thrift shop began on the second floor of what was then the Compass building on Water St. (Now Factory Square).  Since it was an attic type space, they called it the Garret Thrift shop.  The shop was open Wed, Thursday and Friday 1-4 and Saturday 10-12.  

·  All proceeds went to the Mystic Community Center for the first few years.  Besides the pavilion the project also included a civic improvement program to benefit the Mystic River Park and to restore fencing and gates toward the children’s playscape.  

·  Around 1973 the MWC gave $300.00 to Main Street Home for Girls.  

·  *(1) 1974 saw the first move for the thrift to the basement of a Dental building at 7 Pearl St.  This year they began spreading the proceeds around to other organizations.  (>$1000.00)

·  1976 This year they spread the proceeds to numerous organizations (>3000.00)

·  *(2) 1977 The MWC thrift shop moved again to 3 Pearl Street.  All these moves were because of building purchases to other owners and subsequent rent increases.  As profits increased the club spread the wealth around. 

·  1981 proceeds exceeded $10,000.00 and the club began giving scholarships to HS seniors

·  *(3) 1982 Another move for the thrift shop.  The shop now moved to Coogan Gildersleeve building on Greenmanville Rd. in Mystic.

·  *(4) 1986 the MWC shop moved to Pawcatuck at 165 So. Broad St in the shop where Subway currently resides.  

·  1998-2000 the MWC took the leadership in supporting the CT GFWC Habitat for Humanity project of Southeastern CT

·  *(5) 2003 the shop made its 5th move to its current location in the strip mall at 165 So. Broad St in Pawcatuck.

·  In 2005 the MWC submitted and was granted 501c3 non-profit status.

·  2008 started some sales on eBay but a minor effort

·  2020 – pandemic altered the way the MWC did many things.  The thrift shop closed in March 2020 and reopened for several days/month in July then few days/week in August and 3-4 days/week since then.  A designated eBay shop was started under the name of MWC thrift Shop as a charity shop.