Mama’s House PopUp Thrift Boutique opened July 1 in Kapaau as the latest addition to a family of four Mama’s House thrift stores in West and North Hawaii. The boutique specializes in women’s wear, with plans to expand to men’s
Mama’s House PopUp Thrift Boutique opened July 1 in Kapaau as the latest addition to a family of four Mama’s House thrift stores in West and North Hawaii. The boutique specializes in women’s wear, with plans to expand to men’s and children’s items in August.
“We provide our customers ‘shopping therapy’ and affordable value, that allows us to give a fair, cost of living wage and benefits to our employees,” said Beth Mehau, executive director of The Pantry, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs the four Mama’s House thrift shops.
Using a sustainable model that has proved successful so far, the operation accepts donated items at all four locations— supporting its mission to keep useable goods out of landfills. Some of the clothing is repurposed into The Pantry’s Dress for Success program for women re-entering the job market.
They employ 14 people, supplemented by up to 30 positions referred by the state’s First-to-Work program. A job-training opportunity for women receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits, First-to-Work supports The Pantry’s mission of workforce development.
“We also provide, safe, sober environments for people to do their community service hours,” said Mehau, who began her second-hand empire in 2010 with larger Mama’s House stores in Waimea. “We closed the larger operation and moved into smaller boutique settings that are more easily managed… this allows our employees the opportunity to develop greater leadership skills and a sense of pride in ownership.”
Their newest location, Mama’s House PopUp Thrift Boutique in Kapaau, is a work in progress, a shared space with The Creative Cowgirls, Shirley Bennett and Shelley Andrade, who “upcycle” denim from second-hand jeans into bags, skirts, aprons and accessories.
“Mama’s House provides a place for the community to serve and to be part of the solution no matter where they are at in their own development,” said Mehau. “We listen to people; we wait to hear their strengths and we garner those strengths while we develop tools to work with their weaknesses.”
