Campus thrift store introduces Wildcats to a greener way to shop
By Ramsey Cox
The fashion industry is notoriously hard on the environment. Now, a student-run resale shop is offering the Linfield community an alternative.
The Associated Students of Linfield College opened the Cat Closet thrift store in January as a way to offer low-cost, sustainable shopping for their fellow Wildcats.
Kendall LeCompte ’20, Caitlyn Connely ’21 and Taylor Vogel ’20 manage the store, which is open on Saturdays in a repurposed bike room on the McMinnville Campus.
“Our goal on the large scale is that this thrift store introduces people to the importance and, honestly, the fun, of shopping sustainability so that those standards will follow them beyond Linfield,” said Vogel. “The idea behind this was to allow students and staff to contribute back into the Linfield and McMinnville community not only their material items but also to directly make a difference in these communities with every purchase.”
While designed primarily for students, staff and faculty are welcome to donate or buy items as well. Proceeds go to a rotating list of local nonprofits and campus clubs.
“The Cat Closet is a tangible way in which ASLC is living their mission of improving Linfield student life while also promoting sustainability through reuse and repurposing of previously owned items,” said Sarah Fuller, assistant director of student activities. “I look forward to seeing their work pay off as the Cat Closet flourishes in the future.”
