A Pillar of Its Community,

An object’s trip through the Merrick Medical Center Auxiliary Thrift Shop starts at the back door. That’s where it’s dropped off by a generous donor.

The item then goes through the shop’s rigorous sorting process. Over 80 volunteers help clean, organize and prepare items for the sales floor. At the end of its trip, it gets into the hands of a lucky shopper.

For almost 70 years, the money made from these items has helped fund health care in Central City.

Simple Beginnings

The thrift shop started as a once-a-year garage sale to support Litzenberg County Memorial Hospital in 1959. The first brick-and-mortar store opened a few years later. The location has moved multiple times but has been at its current address at 1601 16th St. in Central City since 1999.

The MMC Auxiliary is a proud, organized group of volunteers. They meet once a month to discuss issues related to the shop, with a Merrick Medical Center representative there to advise. The four current officers of the thrift store are Jean Burbach, president; Jane Hubka, vice president; Jean Polzkill, treasurer; and Lynette Weller, secretary.

The shop is organized into different sections – clothing, furniture, art, holiday decorations, books and much more. You might find a lightly-used vacuum cleaner in one corner and a vintage, pristine Husker hat in another.

The shop is open on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday every week, but volunteers work Monday-Friday.

Dedicated Volunteers

Christine Huber has volunteered at the shop for close to 40 years. Her mother worked at the shop first, and Christine joined her, working one shift a month as a clerk. Eventually, she worked more regularly in the back – sorting, pressing and hanging clothing.

She spends about seven hours at the shop every week, four in the back and three as a clerk. While in the back, Huber looks through dozens of boxes with her fellow volunteers. They chat for hours about their lives as they work.

Huber said the thrift shop volunteers are like a family.

“I’ve not missed very many shifts in the last 20 years,” Huber said. “If someone’s not there on a certain day, they’re missed. I have a job to do, and if I don’t show up, there’s a big hole.”

Her shift helps her get out of the house and socialize. As a clerk, she meets new people – from North Platte to Australia – during every shift.

“You meet people from all over the country, and sometimes, from all over the world,” she said. “It’s just interesting to hear their stories and the good things they say about our shop.”

Contributing to the Community

Every Wednesday morning, when the store opens for the first time each week, a line always forms outside the front door. At times, upwards of 50 people wait to be the first in the shop to find the best deals. The volunteer team tries to re-stock the shelves as quickly as possible; some will spend hours in the store sifting through every item.

“People know there are going to be new things every day, so they feel like they have to keep coming back,” Burbach said.

Items can be as low as $1 – and those aren’t just standard dollar store fare. Never-used, brand-name items might be sold at that low of a price.

The thrift shop has helped fund many advancements at Litzenberg County Memorial, and now Merrick Medical Center, over the years. A plaque sits outside the center’s cafeteria, informing guests that it was constructed using auxiliary funds. The art inside the building and the landscaping outside of it come from the shop. The shop also donates toward new medical equipment and contributes to the future of health care, sponsoring three annual scholarships for students going into the medical field.

“It’s such a good feeling to know that we’re making that contribution to the community,” Burbach said. “The donations to the hospital are what make the news, but just as important to me is the family who can buy clothing for their children because of our shop.”

Sustained Enthusiasm

The store has seen an increase in shoppers after volunteers started a Facebook page. The page advertises new items that are ready for purchase. People come from communities all over Nebraska to donate and purchase items.

“I’ve had people say this is the only place they shop,” Burbach said.

In 2024, the shop reached $2 million raised over the span of its existence.

The thrift shop serves everybody who interacts with it. It serves the people who donate, as it provides a sustainable way to get rid of items in their home. It serves the volunteers, who benefit from the social time. It serves the shoppers who enjoy the low prices.

Most of all, it serves everybody who walks into Merrick Medical Center looking for health care.

“Our reputation continues to spread,” Burbach said. “So many times, I’ve heard people come in and say that this is the best thrift shop they’ve ever been in.”

To volunteer at the Merrick Medical Center Auxiliary Thrift Shop, contact Jean Burbach, Auxiliary president, at 308-946-2309.

Learn more about the Merrick Medical Center Foundation.