The Find: Boomerangs thrift store opens in Central Square

July 01, 2011|By Stephanie Horst, Globe Correspondent, Globe Staff

By Stephanie Horst, Globe Correspondent

A new neighbor joined the storefronts along Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge last month when the fourth location of the celebrated donation-only thrift store Boomerangs, owned and operated by the AIDS Action Committee, opened its doors in Central Square.

On a recent Saturday afternoon visit, indie band The Magnetic Fields piped through the overhead speakers in the open loft-like space as patrons coolly sifted through the store’s inventory. One young man in basketball shorts and a baseball cap said to his friend as he clicked through the hangers, “I want to find some fresh T-shirts for cheap.” Try $2. And if you prefer a little authenticity with your ironic slogans — as opposed to the mass-produced variety — there is a plethora of local university T-shirts, summer camp throwbacks and 90’s culture cast-offs. Where else could a Harvard freshman find an “Amherst College Orientation 2001” Tee?

A quick glance through the women’s apparel rack — all clothing racks are organized by size and color — turned up a number of designer labels, including a $7 periwinkle Betsy Johnson dress. In a special section reserved for vintage clothing, a slew of daring men’s polyester shirts, ranging in price from $6 to $10, could be found along side an explosion of tulle fabric, which turned out to be a wedding dress. Only $20, ladies.

But Boomerangs offers more than affordable T-shirts and gently loved apparel. Brand new velvet pillows, a tan corded couch, 50 matching red dinner plates, a black and white piano-inspired skinny tie, and a Flowbee — “As seen on TV” — were just a few of the items in the eclectic mix, all artfully displayed in a clean and welcoming environment.

“Boomerangs doesn’t necessarily feel like an old-fashioned thrift shop,” said store manager Elizabeth Donovan. “We try to keep it really clean, really fresh, move stuff a lot, put stuff out every day. And because of all the great donations we get, we’re able to maintain that.”

Boomerangs is housed in a spot that housed a sneaker boutique called The Attic. The only items in the store not for sale are the brightly painted mannequin heads with disproportionately long necks on permanent display on the step-like shelves in the middle of the store. The heads were donated by Barney’s in New York after a recent aesthetic display change and shipped up from New York. Donovan said there are a number of corporations in the area that often provide donations, allowing the store to stock brand new merchandise on an ongoing basis.