The Thrifty Hanger thrift stores operated by food pantry Feed My People in south St. Louis County and High Ridge are celebrating their grand reopenings beginning at 10 a.m. Monday with refreshed stores and merchandise. Visitors the first day will be able to register for a chance to win a free queen or king mattress and box spring set.

The stores had been closed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The stores are located at 171 Kingston Drive in Lemay, 63125, and 3295 Ottomeyer Road in High Ridge, 63049.  New store hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.           

 The food pantry said new merchandising techniques and sales technology have been adopted in its thrift stores to give shoppers a steady stream of fresh, well-priced clothing, household items, furniture and more.

A new practice of price drops on all inventory over a span of six weeks is expected to lure customers ranging from fashion-forward shoppers seeking new items to bargain-hunters aiming for good deals priced as low as 99 cents. Trailers have been added at each location to process donations in ways to guard against COVID-19 transmission.

As part of the grand reopening, Feed My People is selling “factory-fresh” mattress sets at very affordable prices, the store said in a news release. Queen pillow top, luxury memory foam mattresses and box springs are available for $252 per set. King, full and twin sets are also available. Store visitors may register to win either a king or queen mattress set — mattress and box springs — from June 29-July 30, with the winner to be drawn July 31. The winner will be announced at www.feed-my-people and inside the stores.

“As a social enterprise, funds raised by our two stores are critical to continuing Feed My People’s mission: to show God’s love and compassion to all His people, and particularly to people in need,” said Feed My People Executive Director Karen Lanter. “Dramatic rises in food insecurity, fundraising event cancellations and other lost income due to COVID-19 make the sales revenue generated by the thrift stores more important than ever.”

The stores also supply clothing and household items to people in need.

As one of St. Louis’ largest food pantries, Feed My People’s 17-member staff and 400 volunteers have been meeting the rising demand for food and personal care items caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Feed My People serves as a safety net to about 375 families per week in south St. Louis County and northwestern Jefferson County who have lost jobs or live in poverty. Feed My People partners with more than two dozen congregations in metro St. Louis for food drives; clothing drives; and donations of clothing, furniture, electronics, and baby care and household items.

Donations of clothing and household items will be accepted until storage containers are full and only during the hours of 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Friday, at 171 Kingston Drive in South County, and from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, at 3295 Ottomeyer Road in High Ridge.

Churches, civic groups and families interested in organizing food drives are invited to call Stephenie Berberich at 314-631-4900, ext. 315. People in need may call Feed My People Monday-Friday mornings at Lemay (314-631-4900) or Tuesday-Saturday mornings at High Ridge (636-677-9885). Feed My People programs include a comprehensive set of support services, including emergency and long-term food supplies, job counseling, personal development and more; see https://feed-my-people.org/fmp-programs/.

Feed My People was founded in 1982 by Carol and John DeGuire to serve previously unmet needs among the poor in South County. It expanded to High Ridge in 1997 to serve needy residents of southwest St. Louis County and northwestern Jefferson County. Feed My People covers 16 ZIP codes from the Mississippi River to Pacific at the Franklin County line, and from Interstate 44 south to the Meramec River and beyond.