The Wardrobe Opens In Malvern
by Melissa Jacobs
Thrifting with a mission? That’s the ethos behind The Wardrobe’s new upscale resale store in Malvern, PA. Located in the Lincoln Court Shopping Center on Route. 30, the 3,2000 square foot store is filled with great, gently-used clothes and accessories for men and women at up to 70% off retail prices.
The shop is powered by The Wardrobe, the award-winning nonprofit that provides clothing to people in need. Some clients need professional attire for job interviews; others need casual clothes while they grapple with economic hardships or life transitions.
The new Malvern shop is open to Wardrobe clients and the general public. Organized like an upscale boutique, the shop is filled with racks of tasteful and trendy clothes, shoes and accessories for men and women from individual donors and local stores like Posh Collections and Main Line Fashionista, plus QVC and White House Black Market. “We are already getting fantastic donations that range from high-end brands, new with tags items, and one-of-a-kind finds,” said The Wardrobe’s executive director Sheri Cole.
Barely recognizable from its former incarnation as a Goodwill thrift shop, The Wardrobe’s Malvern location is beautifully merchandised. “Along with some fresh paint and a little facelift, we added dressing rooms and some higher-end wall racks and shelving,” Cole said. “It is important that everyone who comes to The Wardrobe is able to try on their outfits so they can see what fits and what makes them feel most confident.”
In its more than 30 years of empowering people for success, The Wardrobe has expanded to seven locations, from which staff and volunteers serve 10,000 clients every year. The Malvern location is The Wardrobe’s first on the Main Line and replaces its former outpost at the now-shuttered Exton Square Mall.
“The Wardrobe conducted surveys and collected data on where our participants would be able to access services in the county,” Cole explained. “We heard feedback from volunteers, shoppers, supporters, and partners and selected the location by a committee of volunteers, board members, and staff. This location is accessible for many of our guests, in a popular shopping center, and near other social service organizations. We hope that, similar to our former Exton location, it serves guests from Chester County as well as Montgomery County and even Philadelphia.”
Back to the shopping …Thrifting pros will be able to spot the steals: great shoes, upscale handbags and brand-name clothes for men and women. Inventory will change regularly as The Wardrobe receives donations from local stores and Main Line residents. “We accept all clothing and accessories,” Cole explained. “We’re now especially looking for fall and winter items – both menswear and womenswear. The Wardrobe also has recycling partners that we work with, so we can help you recycle clothing that is not usable anymore. Clean out your closet and bring it all to us, we’ll take it from there!”
For more information about shopping at and donating to The Wardrobe, visit careerwardrobe.org.
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