Historic Church Mouse Thrift Shop in Berlin announces closing

BERLIN, Md. – A long-standing landmark in downtown Berlin will soon be closing its doors for good.

The Church Mouse Thrift Shop on North Main Street recently announced that it will be halting its operation on December 21st. For over 60 years  the shop has functioned as a fundraising arm of Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church. It’s run by volunteers to help with outreach and support for local causes and organizations.

Director Helen Wiley said they’ve fostered a special relationship with the community over the decades: “It’s a place where people can come in and feel comfortable. Sometimes, they share their stories about what’s going on in their life.  They feel comfortable and safe here. And then we also offer affordable clothing, household items for folks that need it, and we also give things away for folks that might need it.”

Wiley said that Church Mouse is closing because the Saint Paul’s vestry has decided that expenses like rent and utilities could be used to fund additional local outreach efforts.

While she’s sad to see the shop go, it leaves behind a lasting legacy. “The friends [that I] have met along the way. I’m going to miss that. But I’ll still be a part of this community. I still will be a part of the outreach. And so hopefully I’ll still have those same friends that I’ve met over all these years,” she said.

Wiley added that the Church will be continuing its efforts in the community, it’s just that fundraising for outreach will take a different shape in the future.