A former Family Dollar discount outlet that was also previously a Rite Aid drugstore hasn’t opened yet in its new skin as Crossfire Thrift shop. But tons of people have yanked on the locked front doors in the weeks leading up to its debut, says Renee Beebe, executive director of Crossfire Ministries.

“Hundreds of people a day are asking when we’ll be open,” she said. “It’s incredible.”

The answer: the grand opening of Crossfire Ministries’ larger retail thrift operation at 4609 Austin Bluffs Parkway in Colorado Springs starts at 10 a.m. Saturday and runs through 4 p.m. The new business will continue its celebratory launch Tuesday through Saturday next week, with door prizes and special features.

“We hope that as we open the doors, people will feel love, even as they’re shopping,” Beebe said.

The store will sell donated clothing for all ages, toys, linens and bedding, kitchenware, tools, shoes, books, jewelry, household decor and other goods.

A “prayer station” near the front has comfortable chairs and thoughtful signs such as “Be Still.”  Shoppers can relax, pray with someone or on their own, or leave an anonymous written prayer request.

“If someone’s down and out or having a bad day or just needing extra love, we’ll be there for them,” Beebe said.

To answer the question of why Crossfire Ministries – which is supported by 20 local churches through volunteerism, financial contributions and in-kind donations – is expanding, refer to its new tagline: “Shop With Us. Nourish Lives.”

Federal funding cuts have decreased revenue for nonprofits such as Crossfire Ministries, though demand for providing free food and hygiene products, utilities assistance and life skills classes is rising, Beebe said.

Revenue for its $700,000 annual budget has come mostly from donations but now it requires more supplementation, she said.

Leaders realized the small thrift shop Crossfire had at its headquarters down the road at 3975 N. Academy Blvd., wasn’t drawing the amount of business needed.

“Our parking at the main location didn’t make it conducive for people who wanted to come shop because our emphasis there is no-cost groceries,” Beebe said. “Our hope is that our new thrift store will help fund the organization.”

Crossfire Ministries is serving 450 clients a day and registering 20 new families daily who have never used its services before, she said. The organization receives food from Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado and will be able to buy more food for clients with thrift store proceeds.

The organization purchased the 13,500-square-foot building for $1.6 million in April 2025, according to county records.

Remodeling took longer than expected, Beebe said. The existing thrift store at its headquarters closed in October in anticipation of the new facility opening.

The old thrift store space will become a multipurpose room for the organization, which relies on 50 to 60 volunteers a day at its headquarters, according to Beebe.

Half of the new building is dedicated to retail, and the other half is where intake and processing of donations happen.

There will be 12,000 to 15,000 items on the floor at any given time, said Lori St Pierre, thrift store manager.

Prices are driven by the organization’s charitable mission and not profits, she said.

In keeping with that approach, donated goods in need of repair, such as a doll with matted hair and torn clothing – are restored to working order. Games and puzzles are counted and tallied for all pieces before they are offered for sale.

“We don’t want to sell anything you couldn’t buy in a regular store,” St Pierre said.

Thrifting is popular statewide; Colorado was named the second thriftiest state in the nation in 2024 by Coupons4Real, based on online searches for coupons, discount codes and second-hand stores.

The area around Doherty High School has several charitable thrift stores, including the Arc, Goodwill, Life Network and New Horizons. Shoppers seem to like making the circuit in the neighborhood, Beebe said.

If the pre-opening foot traffic is any indication for Crossfire Thrift, the new location also will be a popular destination.