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PORT NECHES — A new thrift store where proceeds benefit a non-profit organization opened its doors Friday in Port Neches.

Re: Stored Community Thrift Store, located at 2825 Nall St., is housed next door to Powerhouse Gym in the spot that Goodwill once called home for a while.

A soft opening the day before, using only word of mouth to get the word out, was successful, Mike Conner, founder and director of the Dream Center, said.

The Dream Center is a Christ-centered program aimed at community outreach including the Supernatural Understanding for Conquering Chaos and Eradicating Self-Sabotage, or S.U.C.C.E.S.S. It is located on m or than 50 acres of land off U.S. 69 near the prison area.

Conner said numerous items have been donated to the organization through the years, so much so that there was too much to give away at their scheduled events so the idea for the shop came about.

The items were sorted and the “like new” items are brought to the store for sale and the gently used items stay at the center for clothing giveaways.

A ribbon cutting/grand opening was held Friday with supporters, volunteers and some of the graduates of the center’s program on site.

Jeff Macapinlac is a recent graduate of the Center’s year-long faith based program.

The program allowed him to get a stronghold on his addictions to alcohol and criminal activities. The spiritual assistance along with sobriety has changed Macapinlac, giving him a new outlook, he said.

“The Dream Center helped me overcome my bad behavior,” he said adding he is now more responsible and more mature and allowing him to realize the responsibilities of a man in society and what his role is.

The program gave him the coping tools he needed.

Inside the thrift store Carolyn Rhodes, a supporter for the program, Michelle Button, the manager of the thrift store and Moriah Allen, Dream Center staff, stopped to chat before the ribbon cutting.

Allen was excited to see the newly-opened store, noting she has seen it when it was vacant and through the changes to the opening.

Rhodes said the Dream Center’s program pulls people from rock bottom to the top.

Re: Stored Community Thrift Store is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

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