Rainbow Community Care Set to Open Thrift Shoppe in Fort Atkinson

Shoppers in the Fort Atkinson area and Jefferson County will soon have a new option to find clothes, household items, and other accessories.

After several months of preliminary planning, Rainbow Community Care is set to open its first-ever Rainbow Thrift Shoppe at 905 Madison Avenue in Fort Atkinson. The location is also the current site of American Wholesale Furniture. Rainbow will share the space with the retailer, which will continue to sell furniture on the upper level. The entire lower level will now be occupied by the Rainbow Thrift Shoppe and will provide a place for the community to donate or purchase home decor, housewares, collectibles, books, or clothing items.

Rainbow Foundation President Karen Carrig had an initial vision for a thrift store several years ago. It took a while to get the dream off the ground, but she is thrilled to see that it is finally coming true.

"Across the nation, many non-profit organizations rely on thrift store revenue to help cover the costs of community-oriented services that aren't fully funded by insurance or other sources,” said Carrig. “At Rainbow, this funding supports initiatives such as advance care planning, community-based palliative care, grief support, and our Friends in Action volunteer programs."

The Rainbow Thrift Shoppe doesn't want to be thought of as just an average resale store. Rainbow hopes to provide customer convenience and an affordable shopping experience for area residents each time they visit by offering needed items at fair prices.

Rainbow's Thrift Shoppe will also provide more funding for Rainbow Community Care's various programs. If you donate, shop, or volunteer at the store, you are supporting a local, independent, and non-profit provider whose work for the past 35 years has helped alleviate the burdens associated with aging, illness, and loss.

Rainbow cares for people living at home, in assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, and at the Rainbow Hospice Care Inpatient Center in Johnson Creek.

Dixie Kasmar takes on the role of Rainbow's Thrift Shoppe Manager and has several years of experience operating a similar business in Cambridge that had to close prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Running a thrift store is a true passion of mine,” said Kasmar. “Like many people these days, I am always searching for the next great deal. That’s why I am thrilled to witness the launch of Rainbow Thrift Shoppe. We are eager to fill our store with quality, budget-friendly items that cater to the needs of our community.”

To get the store up and running, Rainbow Thrift Shoppe is seeking volunteers as well as donations of gently used, clean, and resalable items. Volunteers will assist with store operations, sorting donations, staging displays, and stocking items.

We invite you to join us at one of our three volunteer and donation recruitment events:

- Thursday, April 3rd, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

- Friday, April 4th, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

- Saturday, April 5th, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Volunteers will receive training and orientation and can apply at www.RainbowCommunityCare.org/Volunteer or contact Rainbow’s volunteer office at (920) 674-4548.

Store hours right now will be Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Rainbow is planning a soft opening date of Monday, April 14th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. along with a grand opening on Monday, April 28th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Stay tuned for more information on the store’s website, www.RainbowThriftShoppe.org.