Minnie’s Food Pantry is one of the best things about Plano, a local effort founded by Cheryl “Action” Jackson to feed hungry people in Plano. Since she founded the pantry ten years ago, Cheryl has become known as a force of nature for her cause, raising awareness, funds and most of all, food. But Minnie’s does more than clothes. There’s also Minnie’s Resale Boutique down the street.
In some ways, the face of Plano has evolved dramatically in the ten years Minnie’s Food Pantry has been feeding the hungry. But in Cheryl’s eyes, nothing has changed. “Plano looks like a lot of people with smiling faces,” she explains. “They don’t want people to know that they aren’t doing as good as their house makes it look like they’re doing. Across the city, that’s the story.”
Read more: How Grace to Change changes lives with little houses
She describes hungry people in Plano as the “working poor.” People need more than food; they need clothing, soap, deodorant all at a reasonable price that fits into a very slim budget. Minnie’s Resale Boutique partners with local retail stores who donate their clearance items and asks community members to look in their closets for the things they don’t need.
“If you’d pay a dollar for it, you should donate it to the store,” Cheryl explains. For every $3 spent at the resale boutique, Minnie’s can give out one meal. It’s a beautiful effort; the people who rely on Minnie’s can get other things they need and pour right back into the pantry. Community members can shop there and know their money is going to a wonderful cause.
“Get a deal; give a meal. It’s a way to thank people,” Cheryl says. “We all have to shop. If you come to the pantry, go next door. It’s really taken off. We have Gucci, Red Bottoms—everything from 50-cent Colgate toothpaste to Louis Vuittons at a very, very discounted rate.”
Read more: My Possibilities Art Show at Watters Creek, Allen
I dropped by Minnie’s Resale Boutique on a Wednesday morning. I almost didn’t notice it because it’s not directly next door to the pantry, but past the End Zone Bar and Grill. It’s small and well-organized, considering how many donations are one-off treasures, unless they’re directly from a department store. There’s a couture area with resplendent prom dresses and even a few wedding dresses, a kids area, mens area and home and interiors, though most of it is women’s clothing. While I browse, more was carted in to be sorted.
Select shoes and bags with designer labels sit right near the door in a display case: the promised Louis Vuittons–bag and shoes–Dolce & Gabanas and Gucci. The counter is lined with jewelry, some of it handmade. Like any resale place, it takes some digging to find the things that fit your own style–for me a relaxed charcoal maxi dress with a mesh inset for $7. I see Ann Taylor, LOFT, White House Black Market, David’s Bridal and H&M labels. There are swimsuits for the season and I bet, once fall hits, high-quality jackets at a very, very low price.
It’s all Cheryl-approved and she’s famous for encouraging high standards for donations. There are some real treasures hidden Minnie’s Resale Boutique.
Minnie’s Resale Boutique
Store hours
- Wed – Sat | 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Donation drop off
- Wed – Sat | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Donations can be dropped off in-store or in the purple donation bins; located in the front of Minnie’s Food Pantry ste. 117 and located in the back of Minnie’s Resale Boutique at ste. 103. Clothing should be clean; free of stains, spots, and rips.
Where: 3033 W. Parker Rd., Ste. 103, Plano
