SVdP Thrift Store to get $2 million facelift

Major renovation planned for 37-year-old facility

An artist’s rendering of the future St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store at 6464 W. State Street in Boise. Slated for completion in Oct. 2026, the 24,000-square-foot facility will feature a complete redesign of the exterior facade, with a refreshed and reconfigured interior, as well as a new café that will enhance customers’ shopping experience. (Courtesy Photo/St. Vincent de Paul)

By Philip A. Janquart

ICR Assistant Editor

Thursday, March 27, was a big day for St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) Southwest Idaho and its Executive Director Ralph May.

“I’ll be signing the loan papers today,” said May.

Time has taken a toll on the nonprofit organization’s 24,000-square-foot thrift store which was constructed in 1988 through the efforts of a passionate and committed group of local Vincentian volunteers.

Located at 6464 W. State Street in Boise, it is set to undergo a $2 million renovation, bringing it into the 21st century.

“We are expecting construction to be complete in October 2025; it’s going to be quite impressive,” May told the ICR.

Only a genial smile betrayed his excited anticipation as he casually strolled through the now-empty retail area. The walls had been stripped of signage and decor, and rows of merchandise had been removed, exposing bare concrete.

The current Spanish-style SVdP facade obscures the floor to ceiling windows. (Courtesy Photo/St. Vincent de Paul)

Volunteers were busily sorting items in the warehouse area at the back of the facility where donations continue to be processed and trucks loaded for delivery. May said donation intake, processing and delivery will continue onsite throughout the renovation.

In October 2024, most of the merchandise from the now empty retail area had already been transferred to an 11,000-square-foot space SVdP is leasing within the Collister Shopping Center, approximately 1.5 miles east of the thrift store at 4614 W. State Street.

Once the renovation is complete, the Collister location will remain open and serve as SVdP’s home goods outlet. Customers can search for couches, side tables, chairs, coffee tables, bookshelves, lamps, footstools and home decor.

“We still need to determine exactly what the split will be, but since the stores are only a mile and a half apart, we want them to be complementary,” May said. “It’s a quick trip between them, and we don’t want to be competing with ourselves.”

Improvements

A 14-page SVdP case statement provided to the ICR explains that the future viability of the 1988 building is at risk without renovation.

Appraisals indicate that without a substantial investment, the declining property could become “ripe for redevelopment rather than continue to serve as a vital community resource. This underscores the urgency of our campaign,” the case statement said.

Despite regular maintenance, exterior and interior painting, carpet removal, wall adjustments and other improvements over the decades, the structure is slowly becoming obsolete.

SVdP Executive Director Ralph May describes how bicycles are repaired and tagged to be sold in the store or made available as voucher items. (Courtesy Photo/St. Vincent de Paul)

Key components of the renovation include a fresh facade and entrance to attract more visitors and create a welcoming atmosphere. The facade has largely remained unchanged and is currently composed of grey stucco in an arched, Spanish-style architectural design that was popular at the time of construction.

There will also be enhanced parking for shoppers and donors, with the interior retail space upgraded to “offer a brighter, more functional, and enjoyable shopping experience.” Modernized roadside signage will help “effectively communicate our mission and strengthen our community presence.”

Finally, coffee drinkers will be pleased to learn that the renovation includes a new café space, which will be available for lease to an independent operator.

“By embracing this transformation, we aim to attract more traffic and sales, increase awareness through rebranding and strengthen our ability to serve those in need, all while adapting to the dynamic changes in our neighborhood.”

The project manager is Holy Apostles parishioner Nick Guho, owner of Guho Construction Co., headquartered in Eagle.

“Nick is an outstanding member of the Catholic community,” May noted. “He has been a huge supporter of this project and is essentially shepherding us through it all. It makes our world so much better. It’s a big deal, and he’s looking out for us. He wants the project to be amazing.”

ACHD Road Improvement

The thrift store is located on the northwest corner of Pierce Park Lane and State Street, one of the state’s most traveled corridors.

The Ada County Highway District recently began construction on its planned $11 million project to widen a section of the corridor to seven lanes. The Pierce Park intersection, which runs at a southwest angle, will become a four-way stop.

The gas station on the northwest corner, adjacent to the thrift store, has already been demolished to accommodate the new street alignment.

The 13-month-long project is fortuitous since it mandated the closure of the thrift store, giving SVdP the time needed to complete its own project.

“We knew we would have to close the store during construction,” May said. “There’s no way to get customers in and out because the parking is going to be impacted. ACHD is going to tear out half of our parking lot and put in new.”

Housing Units

Additionally, a $250 million, 800-unit housing development is slated for construction on 60 acres of property across State Street. It was formerly owned by The River Club Golf Course, previously known as Plantation Country Club.

May said the golf course was under financial strain and decided to sell some property to continue operating. The course itself will undergo reconfiguration.

When the housing development is complete, the SVdP thrift store will be strategically located in one of the most prominent sections of State Street. May anticipates the revitalized SVdP thrift store will benefit from higher foot traffic at an already thriving store.

The ACHD project has increased the store’s visibility.

“The building was a little obscured because there were trees, bushes and a berm, but that’s all gone, along with the service station, which partially blocked your view from the street,” he said with a gleam in his eye. “And because of the way everything is shifting, all of a sudden, this is going to be one of the highest profile corners on all of State Street. We’ll have a lot of traffic through here for sure.”

Bishop Sylvester Treinen, left, reviews plan for the SVdP Thrift along with Bob Donovin, Paul Mais and Bob Kleffner during a 1988 planning session. (Courtesy Photo/St. Vincent de Paul)

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St. Vincent de Paul’s Mission, Services

St. Vincent de Paul Southwest Idaho defines itself as a “network of friends, inspired by Gospel values, working to prevent homelessness by providing fundamental needs and help to our neighbors.”

Donations, grants and thrift store revenue allow SVdP to assist the local community through food pantries, home visits, reentry services provided to men and women exiting prison and seasonal programs.

Home visits provide personalized assistance to individuals and families, which can be scheduled through the SVdP helpline. The nonprofit helps with housing instability, clothing needs and household items. Its voucher program allows recipients to shop at any Southwest Idaho SVdP thrift store.

SVdP also assists those transitioning back into society after incarceration through Reentry Services and Career Development Programs. Working with the Idaho Department of Corrections (IDOC), SVdP provides pick-up from prison upon release and first-day-out services such as food, clothing vouchers, and bus passes. The nonprofit also helps those released from prison develop workplace skills and find jobs.

Learn more about St. Vincent de Paul Southwest by visiting svdpid.org.