The store was the brainchild of a former Contact Ministries Board Member. Prior to the store opening, a person in need would come to Contact and ask a volunteer for clothing. The volunteer would then go down into the basement store and find clothes for this person. A lot of times the clothes did not fit the person in need. She wanted a more dignified process where people could shop for their own clothes. She also envisioned that the women who lived in the shelter would work in the store which would give them some job training and networking opportunities with volunteers.