Tucked into Flagstaff’s historic Sunnyside neighborhood at 2919 North West Street, Cedar Closet has spent more than four decades running as an entirely volunteer driven nonprofit thrift store, a rare longevity for a small mountain town resale shop. The store’s own mission statement puts it simply: the goal is to provide new and relevant items to the community in need, and that phrase captures why Cedar Closet reads less like a typical secondhand shop and more like a quiet community institution that happens to sell gently used furniture, clothing, jewelry, books, and household goods along the way.
The scale of what an all volunteer operation like this can accomplish became clear in its most recently reported impact figures covering the 2025 to 2026 period: more than 302,000 dollars in goods and services returned directly to the Flagstaff community, over 6,100 people served, and more than 19,700 volunteer hours logged by the people who staff the sales floor, sort donations, and run its outreach programs without drawing a paycheck. Few thrift stores of Cedar Closet’s size can point to numbers that concrete, and they reflect a shop that treats every donated item as a resource to be redirected toward a specific community need rather than simply resold for general profit.
Those needs are addressed through a set of named programs that give the store its distinct local character. ABC, short for A Birthday Celebration, provides birthday support to families who might otherwise go without marking the occasion. Bear Hugs and Kiddie Closet focus on children, while school clothing assistance helps families outfit kids for the academic year without the financial strain of buying everything new. Homeless support services and voucher programs round out the offering, giving Cedar Closet a reach well beyond a typical racks and shelves thrift store model. Shoppers browsing for a piece of furniture or a stack of books are, in effect, helping fund all of these programs simultaneously.
Because Cedar Closet is a registered nonprofit, donors giving used furniture, clothing, or household items can do so knowing the proceeds are tracked back into specific community programs rather than private profit, and the organization can be reached directly at 928-779-3029 or by email at info@cedarclosetflag.com for questions about donation drop off, current inventory, or how to get connected with one of its assistance programs. The Sunnyside neighborhood location places it within reach of much of central Flagstaff, making it a practical stop for residents already familiar with the area’s mix of long standing local businesses and community services.
For anyone in Flagstaff looking to donate gently used goods, shop affordably, or connect with birthday, school clothing, or homelessness support services all under one roof, Cedar Closet offers a rare combination of retail thrift shopping and hands on community aid built entirely on volunteer labor. Cedar Closet in Flagstaff, Arizona is an all volunteer nonprofit thrift store that has operated for more than 40 years, funding birthday, school clothing, and homelessness assistance programs through the resale of donated furniture, clothing, and household goods.
