New 2 YouCustomer Spotlight on Lauren, Founder of My Sister’s Closet Thrift
Meet Lauren, one of valued shoppers and owner of our thrift store friend My Sister’s Closet Thrift, an upscale thrift store in Middleville.
My Sister’s Closet Thrift (MSC) is a beautiful store for women of all ages to shop current styles of clothing that are both modest and in good quality.
Lauren loves to introduce people to the world of thrifting and secondhand. “Buying secondhand allows you to save money, it’s sustainable, and you know that the clothes have already been washed, so you have a better idea of how they’ll fit,” Lauren shared.
To introduce her customers and Instagram followers to new thrift stores in Grand Rapids, she often creates “Thrift haul” videos on her business’s Instagram account (@mscthrift). We are so honored that she chose to visit us! (Watch Lauren’s “Thrift haul” video at New 2 You here!) We love this idea of promoting thrift neighbors to encourage her followers to be more sustainable.
We encourage you to support My Sister’s Closet Thrift by buying online or in-person and seeing all of the creating ways that Lauren promotes thrifting through her Instagram account! Thank you for being a blessing to this world and others, Lauren!
New 2 You Wins “Best of the West” for Thrift/Consignment Shop for 2024
Our customers are THE BEST! Thank you so much for voting us as “Best of the West Thrift/Consignment Shop” for 2024!! 
This is such an incredible honor!
Thank you for the love, Grand Rapids and Revue Magazine!
See the other “Best of the West” winners here: https://revuewm.com/…/the-9th-annual-best-of-the-west…. Congratulations to all!
New GRCS Superintendent, Aaron Winkle, Visits New 2 You
New Grand Rapids Christian Schools (GRCS) superintendent Aaron Winkle felt very welcomed by New 2 You last week as he visited the store for a tour. Before the doors opened, our volunteers and staff prayed over him during his time of transition.
In these pictures, Aaron Winkle is with the New 2 You store manager, Andrea Robinson, and Aaron’s long-time mentor, Don Boender.
Thank you, Aaron, for visiting! We know that GRCS will be blessed greatly by your leadership!
Volunteer Spotlight on Betty and Bev
Meet Betty and Bev, two sisters that make the perfect volunteer team! Betty and Bev got connected to New 2 You multiple years ago when they first started shopping with their mom. As customers, they felt constantly welcomed and cared for. After their mom passed away, they began volunteering on Wednesday mornings in the shoe department.
Together, the sisters have a system: Bev picks up Betty to volunteer, Bev cleans shoes, Betty prices shoes, and they put shoes on the sales floor together. Coming from a family of 12 biological children and 7 adopted children, family is very important to the sisters, and they greatly value the time they get to spend together volunteering. Usually they’ll joke around with each other in the meantime when Bev makes fun of Betty’s larger feet.
Betty and Bev grew up in Grand Rapids and have stayed in the community throughout their careers. They love the West Michigan community and find that volunteering at New 2 You is an excellent way to give back and honor God.
“Coming to New 2 You is a win, win, win.” they shared. “We get to donate, we get to volunteer, and we also get to shop!” There hasn’t been a day where they come in and don’t find something to purchase, Betty added.
We love these sisters and the uplifting spirits that they bring! Thank you, Betty and Bev, for being part of the New 2 You community!
What was New 2 You like 20 Years Ago?
Don, Mary, and Ruth are three volunteers that have been at New 2 You since the beginning. To learn a little bit more about their experiences, we asked them to answer a few questions. Here’s what they said:
Could you introduce yourselves?
Don: My name is Don, and I’m one of the day managers. I used to be head of the Men’s Clothing department up until very recently. I grew up in Illinois, where I started working with men’s clothing in 8th grade and then through high school and college. After that, I taught in a high school for 7 years and then became an administrator at Calvin College. The interesting part is that what goes around comes around. It really worked out well for me to come to New 2 You and work back with men’s clothing!
Mary: My name is Mary, and I have four kids—two of which are twins—and they kept me quite busy. When my kids were a little older, I needed something to do, so I became a proofreader. Before volunteering at New 2 You, I volunteered at the gift shop at Blodgett Hospital for 20 years. I worked with their jewelry and clothing, served on their board of directors, and later started purchasing for them. When I came to New 2 You, I worked with women’s clothing and then transitioned to jewelry a few years ago when there was a need.
Ruth: I’m Ruth, and I grew up in Germany. I came to the United States for college at the University of Michigan and then ended up in Grand Rapids because I met a guy from here who soon became my husband. For 20 years, I worked as a human resources manager for several German companies. When my kids were at the Grand Rapids Christian Schools, I went to an informational meeting about a new idea for a thrift store to support families of the school district. I heard that they needed managers, and even though I had never been to a thrift store, I offered to manage. Now I also price the vintage and collectibles.
Don, Mary, and Ruth were at these informational meetings. They recall very few attendees. Don learned about the meeting through an announcement in his church bulletin. Mary and Ruth had both learned about the meeting through school communications.
What was New 2 You like when it first opened?
Don: New 2 You’s building used to be a Gordon Foods. 29th Street wasn’t anywhere near what it is right now in terms of busyness.
Mary: New 2 You was much less organized. There was no such thing as “stations,” like we have now where certain volunteers work with product types or have designated jobs. We also didn’t have nearly the amount of volunteers that we needed.
Ruth: When we first opened, our hours were 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and I think we were open on Saturdays. It was a big step when we stayed open until 5:00 or 7:00.
What are some of your earliest memories of New 2 You?
Don: In our first year before we officially opened, we had a one-day clothing sale. I think we made a lot of money, but it was chaos!
Mary: Nobody really knew what we were doing at the beginning. We had no idea how to handle the amount of donations we received. At one point in the first few weeks, we had clothes piled up from the floor to the ceiling. I remember us standing there thinking, “How are we going to do this?”
Ruth: Revenue didn’t come as quickly as it does now. The first time that we hit $1,000 in sales, we called each other on our landlines to celebrate—it was a big deal!
The first 5 or 6 years at New 2 You weren’t easy on management or the volunteers. There was always a lot to learn and systems that needed to be refined. The sales floor was challenging to control, and work felt very labor-intensive.
Why did you continue volunteering at New 2 You?
Don: I needed something to do after retiring, and I enjoyed being here. This was the perfect fit for me. The people here are great, and some of the friends that I have now are friends just through being at New 2 You together.
Mary: I just felt like this is where I needed to be. When I was on the New 2 You board, there was a great need for volunteers, and so I wanted to help. The people here are also so great, and it’s special as we evolve over the years.
Ruth: I think what kept us here is the other people. I wasn’t going to let one or two negative experiences make me quit.
When describing how New 2 You has grown, Mary noted that a person that knows New 2 You today would have never been able to walk into New 2 You 20 years ago and recognize it as the same store.
What has changed? How did New 2 You transform into an upscale shop?
Don: Changes really happened once our current store manager, Karen, came and was able to bring in more volunteers. We were growing in sales numbers, but volunteer numbers were low. Volunteers make all the difference.
Mary: One of the biggest differences is organization. When we first started, we hardly knew what we were doing. So much credit has to be given to Karen with all of her retail experience. She had a vision for the store and made it happen.
Ruth: An inflow of money and good stewardship of it was also a very significant blessing for us. We had the money to pay off our mortgage 15 years earlier than it was due. We also had the money to update our facade and purchase an electronic sign on 29th street. We used to use a poll to change the letters one by one.
Dozens of other things can be attributed to New 2 You’s growth, including generous contributions of more and more donations, volunteers growing in expertise of product areas and operations, strong marketing from the Grand Rapids Christian Schools about us, and kindness from our customers and donors as they tell their friends about us.
While we’re glad to be on the winning team and are so proud of where New 2 You is now, we see our growth as a testament of God’s love for His people that serve Him. Our mission is to forward Christian education in the community, and our successes are evidence that God’s will is being done.
Spotlight on Karen, our Store Manager of 11 Years
Karen has always been the first to recommend who should be spotlighted, and now it’s time we spotlight her!
Meet Karen, our faithful store manager for the past 11 years! Karen has been the biggest blessing that we could have asked for. She has led the store through renovations and merchandising changes, transformed the image of our store, and shaped the New 2 You community that we know today. We are so, so thankful for Karen and all of her innovative ideas, dozens of talents, dedicated work ethic, and heart of service.
Karen was born in Orlando, Florida, as one of seven sisters. Her love for Disney played a large role in her childhood and, at age 18, she landed her first job at Lake Buena Vista in merchandising, launching her retail career. She assisted in managing 12 different retail stores and ordering and replenishing products for them. When she turned 21, Karen moved to Grand Rapids and started working for Hudson’s (known today as Macy’s), where she was the merchandising manager for several departments and later switched to a human resources manager. She never ceases to impress! Her final career before New 2 You was launching the business Basket Works with her business partner and continued for 20 years. Together they created and sold gift baskets for corporate customers out of their retail store in Cascade. When Karen was ready to retire from Basket Works in 2013, a friend of hers saw an advertisement in The Banner for the store manager position at New 2 You. Although she wasn’t looking to work full time, Karen felt called to the position, especially after hearing from the New 2 You board that the store was looking to renovate and step into a new height of merchandising.
Karen’s first year at New 2 You was full of surprises! With constant renovations and departmental changes, the work was tiring but meaningful. The nature of her job has demanded Karen to be both flexible and innovative as each day has unique needs and new donations come in that need to have a home on the sales floor, even when there doesn’t seem to be room. Finding room on the selling floor is what Karen labels as her “secret power.” It’s no surprise that merchandising has been her favorite task.
Karen is most proud of how New 2 You has been able to adapt to higher standards of merchandising and become a beautiful store with a wide variety of products that are clean and presented at the same standards that Macy’s is but for customers of all income levels. New 2 You is a place where anyone can have an excellent shopping experience and purchase goods affordably.
As each day has brought new demands and priorities, it has also brought new memories. Her biggest joy of being at New 2 You has been working with the volunteers. “They are very gifted, and they come from all different walks of life,” Karen shared. However, despite differences in life experiences, these volunteers all have the same heart for the work that New 2 You does in supporting the community and the Grand Rapids Christian Schools. “The people are what make this store incredible. They’re like family—we pray for each other, many socialize together and some shifts even eat dinner together. I love seeing this community build up,” Karen explained. “Being in community with so many people will change your life.” She has deep gratitude for this community and the many volunteers that have shared their lives with her. She’s also truly thankful for the New 2 You board members and volunteers that have trusted her and supported her many “wild and crazy” ideas.
Karen is bringing her life full-circle by moving back to Florida after retirement, where she and her dog, Charley, will join two of her sisters and their dogs in Cape Canaveral, Florida. In pursuing her continued love for Disney, Karen hopes to join the Disney “cast” again after decades of being away and work part-time planning cast member events. We know how Karen likes to stay busy, so she will also be a set of helping hands at her sister’s restaurant, where they are undergoing major renovations. In Cape Canaveral, there are frequent NASA rocket launches in sight, which Karen and her sisters will watch from their backyards together.
Karen has touched the lives of hundreds in the New 2 You community, and she will never be forgotten. While we are so sad to say goodbye to her, we are excited to see what the Lord has in store and send our prayers her way in this time of transition.
In our final week with Karen, we’re celebrating her in-person and online. If you come into the store, we invite you to take a minute to say goodbye. Starting on Tuesday, June 25, we will also be digitally collecting notes that you can write to her.
Thank you for everything, Karen! You are the biggest blessing!
We are so thankful for Tom DeJonge!
Yesterday, we had the pleasure of welcoming Grand Rapids Christian Schools (GRCS) superintendent Tom DeJonge to our morning devotion time and praying over the next chapter of his life as he heads into retirement at the end of the month.
Tom DeJonge has been the faithful and devoted superintendent to the GRCS school district with its 5 encompassing schools for the past 20 years. He is deeply loved by the community, and his heart has always been for the students, staff, and families that he serves. We are so thankful for how strongly Tom has led GRCS and supported New 2 You in the process. We’re always so excited to see him bring in donations, shop at our store, and meet the volunteers.
Please join us in sending our prayers to Tom and Grand Rapids Christian Schools during this time of transition and welcome in Aaron Winkle as he steps into Tom’s shoes.
Join us for our 20th Year Celebration (June 17-22)!
From June 17-22, we are celebrating 20 years! It’s crazy how much New 2 You has changed over the two decades. We hope that you can join us in the week-long festivities as we celebrate!
Here’s what to expect this week:
- All men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing is 20% off, including boutique!
- Receive a thank-you New 2 You gift certificate ranging from $2 to $20, with $100 going to one customer when you purchase or donate. One gift certificate per person per day.
- Macatawa Bank is providing a celebration treat from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm on Wednesday, June 19
Additionally, June is the last month that our current general manager, Karen Witte, is with us before retiring. This week is an excellent time to congratulate her on 11 successful years at New 2 You!
We encourage you to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to get regular updates about our celebration week.
Congratulations to our GRCHS Seniors!
Meet Cameron, Elyse, and Syann, our graduating seniors at Grand Rapids Christian High School! These ladies have been an integral part of New 2 You, and we can’t wait to see where the future takes them!
Cameron and Elyse have worked at New 2 You for two years and Syann for one. Cameron started off as a Winterim student, earning money for her trip to Vietnam. She loves working with women’s clothing, and it makes her day to hear a satisfied customer mention how clean and organized our products are.
Elyse was introduced to New 2 You by her sister, Eva, who used to work on Saturdays. She always enjoys cashiering and working with the women’s clothing. Her favorite part about working at New 2 You is interacting with her co-workers and volunteers that are of various ages. “I love getting to work with people that are wiser than me and can hear their stories,” Elyse shared.
Syann learned about New 2 You through Elyse, and the two now make an amazing cashier team! Syann enjoys cashiering, but she also likes organizing the housewares and clear glass. Additionally, interacting with the close-knit community always brightens her day.
Each of the girls have loved their high school experiences. Cameron especially enjoyed her Winterim trips to Vietnam and Europe, while Elyse and Syann were particularly invested in Theater and Forensics. Through their involvement, they found meaningful communities and had great experiences, but each of the ladies are ready and excited to move onto new adventures.
Cameron will be attending Grand Valley State University in the fall studying product design with hopes of building and designing furniture someday. Elyse and Syann will each be attending Calvin University, where Elyse will have an arts focus and join the Calvin Theatre Company. Syann plans to study Environmental Science and International Relations.
Cameron, Elyse, and Syann have greatly enjoyed Grand Rapids Christian and New 2 You and hope to stay connected in the communities. We are so thankful for each of them and can’t wait to see what God has in store! Thank you, ladies, for all that you’ve done, and congratulations on graduating!
Introducing Andrea, our New General Manager!
New 2 You family, we are so excited to announce that Andrea Robinson will be filling in the position of general manager following the retirement of our current general manager, Karen Witte. God has been great to us! Thank you for all your prayers.
You’ll start seeing Andrea at New 2 You this May, and her official start date will be June 3.
Andrea has written us a wonderful letter to help us get to know her better. Welcome to the family, Andrea!
Hello! I am Andrea Robinson, and I am so excited to be joining the New 2 You Family as the new General Manager, and to be working alongside all of you! I grew up in Grand Rapids, and attended Grand Rapids Christian Schools (Sylvan, and GRCHS ’94), Calvin College (’98), and later the University of Michigan, where I received a Master of Social Work degree focused on the management of social services and community development.
Being raised in a Christian home and attending Christian schools was incredibly formative for me, particularly the opportunities I had to learn and make music with which to glorify God – which I still value and enjoy today. I am married to Luke Robinson, also a GRCS (’92) and Calvin (’96) alumnus, and we have 3 children. Luke works at Calvin University. Dean, our oldest son, is currently a sophomore at Christian High. Grant and Zoe are our twins. They attend GR Christian Middle School and are wrapping up 7th grade.
So, what brings me to New 2 You? If you ask any of the search committee members (or me!) the answer is pretty straightforward – GOD! After I worked a parent volunteer shift at New 2 You this winter, where Karen mentioned that they were looking for a manager for the store, I felt increasingly called to apply for this position, and affirmed of the decision since then.
But as a little background into my journey here, I began my first job at the age of 14 working in an upscale kitchen store in Breton Village, Haymarket Square. I like to say I caught the “retail bug” as a teenager and never really let it go. I went on to work at kitchen and housewares store Williams Sonoma in downtown Chicago and then in Grand Rapids during and after college. And in 2003, my older sister Amy Ruis decided to open a retail store, Art of the Table (she had also caught the “retail bug” as a teen) in the revitalizing Wealthy Street corridor, and asked me to work alongside her to establish and open the store. I have stayed connected there as an employee and/ or regular customer/ cheerleader since then, often assisting with merchandising as a “hobby” when I worked elsewhere.
In the meantime, God also called me to explore the world of human services through both education and work in residential treatment, summer camp, mental health, school and community development as well as nonprofit organizational and program management. In 2022, I felt a need for a bit of a break from the intensity of the social service field, and God’s timing was impeccable – my sister Amy was going through some staffing transitions at her stores and she needed my assistance. What I thought would be a brief “social work sabbatical” turned into two years of meaningful work at Art of the Table, where I sensed God calling me to remain in retail work – but I also felt a call to utilize my gifts in the nonprofit world again, particularly working toward a meaningful mission… which leads me to that winter day, fulfilling our family’s annual New 2 You volunteer shift.
Needless to say, this role at New 2 You is just a beautiful fit for my passions and interests. I am very excited to work alongside and get to know each of you (and very glad you all wear nametags, so I can learn your names!) I recognize I have very big shoes to fill as Karen looks toward retirement, and I hope you’ll help me learn and grow as I take on this position!
You’ll see me slowly get started at the store a few days in later May, and I look forward to joining you officially on June 3!
Andrea Robinson
New 2 You 
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