TYLER, Texas — Tyler Thrift is full of nick knacks, clothing, household goods, and more.
Kayla Ivey opened the store almost a year ago with the goal of offering an authentic thrifting experience, but not expecting much success at first.
"I really thought that we would just be like a little hole in the wall mom and pop place," Ivey said. "But we've just had a ton of people instantly be like supporters of the store."
Inside the store, customers can be seen talking with Ivey as they search for a hidden find or cheap clothes and shoes.
"All our clothes are fifty cents," Ivey explained. "There's levels all throughout, you know, try and fit every budget. Even if you've got pocket change that you found somewhere like, you can shop here."
Karen Rasberry started going to Tyler Thrift when it first opened and says it's wonderful because anyone can shop there.
"I was homeless. I had no blankets or anything, it was freezing. I was broke, I didn't have a dime," said Rasberry. "I came to the store and I asked her for something, she (Kayla) gave me covers, pillows, everything for free and kept us warm."
Shortly after its opening, Tyler Thrift received a different donation from its normal items.
"A lady donated like a box of rice and we ended up just not knowing where to put it in the store and we just kept getting things," Ivey explained. "I was like all why not have a food pantry here other places do it."
Now any person who comes to the store can choose up to five items from the food pantry with no questions asked.
"Five a day per person," Ivey said. "If you come in and it's you and you have four kids, they count as a person."
There's also toiletry bags with things like razors, toothbrushes, rags, etc. that people can take home with them.
"All the other places you can only go once a month and you don't really get to pick," said Rasberry. "I get to eat every day because of Kayla."
Ivey says the store is always in need of donations for its food pantry, especially baby formula and canned soup.
Tyler Thrift will be celebrating its one-year anniversary January 4th with a day of giving.
"From 12 to five everything in the store will be absolutely free," Ivey said. "So it will just be a free for all. Come and get whatever you can carry there's no limit."
For its second year, Ivey is hoping to expand and grow the food pantry. The store is already working on getting a fridge to offer milk.