Arc Thrift Stores operates a location at 3125 South Sheridan Boulevard, sitting along the corridor that divides southwest Denver from neighboring Lakewood near the Bear Creek Trail. The nonprofit retailer is part of a Colorado chain that has been collecting and reselling donated goods since 1968, making it one of the longest running thrift operations in the Denver metro area. Inside, shoppers can expect racks of secondhand clothing for men, women and children alongside shoes, handbags, jewelry and belts, plus a furniture and housewares section stocked with lamps, dishware, small appliances, books, media and seasonal decor that turns over quickly as new donations arrive daily.
What sets Arc Thrift Stores apart from a typical secondhand shop is where the money goes. Every purchase and every donation helps fund The Arc chapters serving Colorado and New Mexico, organizations that advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities including Down syndrome, autism and cerebral palsy. The chain also creates retail jobs specifically aimed at giving people with disabilities meaningful employment on the sales floor, at the registers and in the donation processing area, so a visit to the Sheridan Boulevard store supports both affordable shopping and disability employment in the same transaction. That dual mission has kept the brand a fixture of Denver area retail for close to six decades, long enough that many longtime residents grew up dropping off bags of old clothes with a parent and now do the same with their own kids.
The store keeps generous hours for browsing: Monday through Friday from 9 in the morning until 9 at night, Saturday from 8 in the morning until 9 at night, and Sunday from 10 in the morning until 6 in the evening, making it easy to fit a visit around a work schedule or a weekend errand run along Sheridan Boulevard. Donation drop off runs on a slightly different schedule, Monday through Saturday from 9 in the morning until 8 at night and Sunday from 10 in the morning until 5 in the evening, with staff typically available to help carry larger furniture pieces out of a vehicle. The location accepts clothing, small and large furniture, housewares, electronics in working condition, books, toys and seasonal items, giving neighbors an easy way to clear out a closet or a garage while directly supporting a local cause rather than sending usable goods to a landfill.
For treasure hunters, the appeal of a store like this is the turnover. Because inventory is donation driven and restocked continuously, the furniture and clothing racks look different from one visit to the next, rewarding regular shoppers who stop back weekly rather than those hoping to find a specific item on demand. Bargain hunters furnishing a first apartment, parents outfitting growing kids, costume shoppers and vintage collectors all find their way to the Sheridan Boulevard aisles for that reason. The Denver metro area is home to several Arc Thrift Stores locations, and each one draws its own donation base from the surrounding neighborhoods, so the mix of items here reflects southwest Denver and Lakewood households specifically rather than a chain wide standard selection.
Anyone looking to reach the store directly can call ahead at 720-925-4483 to check on furniture pickup service or ask about a specific department before making the trip. In short, Arc Thrift Stores on Sheridan Boulevard is a secondhand department store where affordable clothing, furniture and housewares shopping directly funds disability advocacy and creates inclusive employment for Coloradans with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
