Published April 28. 2026 12:34PM<\/p>\n
Rafael Rodriguez peers down into a plastic carrier. Staring back are two pillows, one with a brilliant, red-stitched smile. \u201cMy daughters are 8 and 6,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n
There is a certain playful symmetry at the Better Buy Thrift Shop on Bethlehem\u2019s Southside. Lizzy, who handled his transaction, has hair an alarming red \u2013 colored, she explains, in five different hues.<\/p>\n
The thrift shop stretches along the lower level at Cathedral Church of the Nativity in South Bethlehem, offering a wide array of goods \u2013 shoes to slacks, pantsuits to tweeds, even luggage. Women\u2019s clothing is heavily represented, but so, too, is clothing for children.<\/p>\n
Denise Iervolino, who manages the shop, says prices typically are less than those at similar Lehigh Valley thrift shops. As an example, she holds up several items for kids. Items for ages 1 through 6 are but $1 each, and for ages 7 through roughly 12, $2. One bargain item is labeled North Face, a pricey brand.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can find a lot of good stuff at amazing prices,\u201d agrees one shopper, who describes herself as a regular but withholds her name. Another, who gives her name only as May, adds something that is important to her. \u201cThey give back to the community,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
A list at the cash wrap is long, covering more than a dozen recipients of cash, clothing or both. Familiar names include Fountain Hill Elementary and New Bethany.<\/p>\n
If the shop floor is crowded, so, too, is a sorting area at the rear where dozens of boxes are stacked against walls (most labeled as containing eggs). Some boxes contain overflow, others seasonal items.<\/p>\n
Donations have increased year by year, says Iervolino, in large measures as aging Baby Boomers downsize or shed garments no longer needed as households change.<\/p>\n
The shop is mainly volunteer run. More helpers always are welcome.<\/p>\n
The Thrift Shop is opened Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Its easiest access is from the church parking lot along West Third Street, approaching Wyandotte. Parking also is available at 321 Wyandotte St.<\/p>\n
Music and movies are available in a small nook at Better Buy Thrift.<\/p>\n
Press photos by Dana GrubbVolunteers Dot and Vanessa handle sorting in the collection and distribution room.<\/p>\n
The Better Buy Thrift Shop collaborates with a number of area agencies and institutions.<\/p>\n
Shoppers peruse merchandise in the Better Buy Thrift Shop store.<\/p>\n
Volunteers Martha and Carol have a combined 21 years at Better Buy Thrift. They like \u201cto be around people\u201d and \u201cto serve the community.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Published April 28. 2026 12:34PM Rafael Rodriguez peers down into a plastic carrier. Staring back are two pillows,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":178388,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154],"class_list":["post-178387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem-headlines","tag-bethlehem-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178387","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=178387"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178387\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/178388"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=178387"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=178387"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=178387"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}