Caring Hearts clothing store faces closure due to rent increase, community offers support | Lehigh County

WASHINGTON TWP., Pa. – Caring Hearts Clothing Closet and More is a small store in Slatington.

“It really helps out, it helps stretch the budget,” Susan Dieterly said.

Shoppers like Dieterly like to browse. They take what they need, or give back what they already have, but don’t need.

Braheim “Baja” Owens volunteers several hours at the store each week. He says the owner has helped him over the years and now he gives back.

“I’ve been volunteering here for a long while now,” he said. “Nine years.”

Two other Caring Heart stores in the Lehigh Valley — Caring Hearts Thrift Boutique in Allentown’s South Mall and Caring Hearts Thrift Boutique Booth at the Slatington Farmers Market — are solely fundraisers to keep this one afloat.

Because everything here is completely free.

“No price tags, no cash register, we just give everything away for free,” Denise “Neicee” Martinez, Caring Hearts’ founder, CEO and president, said.

It’s been two days since Martinez learned in a text message she may have to clear the store out.

“I was informed…from the new owner that bought this property, that our rent is going to be doubling. And if we can’t do that, we have 30 days to get out of here,” Martinez said.

That puts the store about $6-8 thousand behind for the whole year.

“I immediately started crying,” Martinez said. “I never in a million years thought this would happen to us.”

“I don’t think it’s just this area, it’s everywhere,” Dieterly said. “I mean, it’s everywhere, the way the economy’s going.”

Martinez says the store sees some 100 people and donates an average of 1,000 articles every single week.

“Of clothing, household items, bedding, shoes, purses, all kinds of things,” Martinez said. “Whatever people donate.”

“I’m used to out here, doing all these tables. I’m used to out here seeing people being happy,” Owens said. “It’s going to hurt.”

Martinez says many members of the community have reached out, as her team tries to scramble for a solution.

“So many people reached out to me from churches, and people are having ideas, but I just haven’t got a chance to even call certain people back, because I honestly don’t know what to do.”

“It’s going to be missed,” Dieterly said. “I can’t believe that.”

For now, Martinez says the best way to help out is through monetary donations. The store’s Facebook page recently shared its donation apps here. 

“To see this actually go,” Owens said. “This ain’t the end. This is just the beginning.”