Walk inside the new White Rabbit Thrift Boutique, and its grandeur will amaze you. With its spaciousness, open concept and eclectic selection of gently used items, you may have trouble remembering you are in a thrift store.
The White Rabbit Thrift Boutique hosted its grand opening event on December 6 at its new location, 555 S. Center St. in Westminster.
During her opening remarks at the ceremony, Carroll Hospital President Leslie Simmons thanked the volunteers and, in particular, Michele DiGate, the hospital’s manager of retail sales and events, for their dedication and outstanding work in transforming the former Carroll Regional Cancer Center into a beautiful boutique.
“I’m really forever grateful to all of you for what you’ve done. With all the hours that went into putting this together, from people donating their goods, to the Auxiliary working hard to get everything organized, they’ve made this thrift shop a real boutique,” Simmons said.
More than 400 shoppers visited the new White Rabbit on its opening day. The boutique features an exquisite mix of pre-owned treasures from clothing and toys to artwork and antiques. Items are displayed on shelves and bookcases made from repurposed fixtures from houses in the area, including the old Washington Road thrift shop location, giving the shop a wonderful, homey feel. Everything is located on one floor, with more room and open space, according to DiGate.
“We have a lot more ability to adapt to what we get in donations,” said DiGate, whose vision was instrumental in the boutique’s redesign. “For instance, we have the freedom to move clothing into a different area if we have more clothing than we have housewares or more jewelry than scarves.”
The boutique is one of five of the Auxiliary’s retail stores and generates more than $100,000 per year for the hospital. The White Rabbit Thrift Boutique’s new hours of operation are Tuesday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information, call 410-871-7200, visit the website or stop by The White Rabbit Thrift Boutique at 555 S. Center St., Westminster.
Pictured above: The ribbon cutting at the new White Rabbit Thrift Boutique. From left to right: Karen Durilla, Carroll Hospital Auxiliary president; Michele DiGate, Carroll Hospital manager of retail sales and events; Bill Strotz, Carroll Hospital volunteer; Leslie Simmons, Carroll Hospital president; Mary Richards, Carroll Hospital director of volunteer services; Mike McMullin, president of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce; Ellen Finnerty Myers, Carroll Hospital vice president of corporate development and chief development officer; and Dennis Frazier, Carroll County commissioner.
