Dear CAC Community, April is Volunteer Appreciation Month and this year, we want to take…
‘ReClaimed & ReLoved’ pairs with ‘Lighten Up’ sale to encourage thrifting across Northfield, Dundas
By Colton Kemp, Northfield News
June 17, 2025
This map shows the businesses in Northfield and Dundas that are participating in the ReClaimed & ReLoved sale, which highlights the area businesses with a focus on second-hand products and “pre-loved” treasures. (Graphic courtesy Community Action Center of Northfield)
ReClaimed & ReLoved is a two-day shopping spree for shoppers to travel around Northfield and Dundas in search of the hidden gems and standout deals from their local thrift stores.
Not only does the event on Friday and Saturday support local businesses and nonprofits, it also promotes sustainable practices and invites participants to think more about their own consumption habits, noted Community Action Center Clothes Closet Manager Jeanne Hatle.
“For some people, it’s about getting a good bargain,” she said. “For a lot of people, it’s about helping the environment, because the amount of just textile waste per year is unbelievable. If you know something can have a second or a third life, I think that’s a really important thing. I think a lot of people are shopping that way because it’s more environmentally friendly and because they want a sustainable future.”
Plus, the citywide thrift sale goes hand-in-hand with Carleton College’s “Lighten Up” sale, a massive end-of-year garage sale at Laird Stadium.
“We knew the Lighten Up sale was already drawing hundreds of shoppers from across the region,” said Carleton Center for Community and Civic Engagement Assistant Director of Community Impact Erica Zweifel, who is also the city of Northfield’s mayor. “By teaming up with CAC and local shops, we saw an opportunity to spark something bigger — a communitywide invitation to shop sustainably, explore Northfield and support the local economy. It’s a great example of what’s possible when institutions and small businesses collaborate.”
Community Action Center Senior Director Anika Rychner spoke about the new idea at a recent climate panel.
“It’s not even really an event, but I guess it is a partnership with Carleton,” she said. “Because Lighten Up is every year and people come from all over the area and the community to shop [at] Lighten Up, the other retailers in the area that have thrift and vintage and upcycled items have come together to offer an opportunity for people to shop across the community and thrift that day.”
Hatle said the Clothes Closet’s profits go to support the Community Action Center. They receive about 62,000 pounds of clothing a year, with about 7,000 pounds of clothes received in May alone. About a third goes onto the floor for resale — kids clothes start at $0.25 — and the rest is donated to partner organizations, but still diverted from the landfills.
The sales take place mostly around Northfield, but Junk Truck MN and M&M Resources of Dundas are also participating.
Related Posts
