Grand reopening set for Saturday, April 6

CENTER — La Puente Enterprises Director Jessica Ornelas is excited about the remodeling and reopening of Rainbow’s End Thrift Store in Center. The thrift store is an extension of La Puente.

“This is going to be something really great for the community,” Ornelas said. “It was open for a little while last year, we closed the store to add, remodel and revamp everything. We have a group of great staff that will be helping with the remodel. We anticipate everything going really well. We hope everyone will come and join us for the grand opening. We are excited and looking forward to having our doors open again.”

On March 8 and 9, people can come to the Center location, 350 S. Worth St., for a clothing giveaway.

Ornelas said she is inspired by her job every day. Ornelas oversees all three Rainbow’s End Thrift Stores in the Valley. She along with AmeriCorps member and volunteer for the stores, Sam Salazar, put a lot of work into Alamosa’s Rainbow’s End store and boutique, and are now working hard to remodel and open Rainbow’s End again in Center.

“We are all a big family together,” she said. “The job is very family oriented. Just a couple of weeks ago, we had staff members helping with the Center store, helping to hang clothes and organize things. They were playing music, dancing around, laughing and having a good time. Honestly, we are just like family. We are hoping to make the store very family oriented as well. This store is all about us helping the community with their needs. We are hoping to make this store as welcoming as possible to everyone.”

Salazar will oversee the Center store but will go back to working in the Alamosa location, after August of 2024. Salazar said he is looking forward to opening the doors and making the store a place for community members to come in and enjoy.

“It’s not just about it being a store. We are hoping to see people come in and network and socialize with each other,” he said. “I have ties to this town. Jessica has ties to this town. We want to have a small play area for kids. We want people to come in and enjoy themselves, and know that we aren’t just a store, we are a place to come together, and see each other. We want the store to be a place where families feel safe. We are not here just to turn a profit. We are about clothing people and helping them with their needs. We want to help the community. If people come in without money, we will work with them if they need things. We don’t want people to feel they have to take anything if they lack money. We want to help people that travel for work, we want to help local people, we want to help everyone. This store is not going to be just a store, we want it to be a welcoming place for the community and their families to gather also.”

There is a food bank in the store, so the big back room in the store will be the dedicated area for the food bank.

“I think the remodel will benefit both the food bank and the store,” Salazar said. “There will be more room in different areas, for different things.”

Ornelas said working at La Puente Enterprises is unlike any other job.

“It’s so totally different than any other job I have had. I drive a forklift to move things. I drive a U-Haul. I have to load clothing. I have to sort bags. It’s different than the other jobs that I have worked. I put my blood sweat and tears in, but I am so excited about doing all of this and giving back to the community,” she said.

Ornelas said this is “where she is supposed to be.”

“I care for people so much. This is a real eye opener,” she said. “I have loved my position since the first day I started. I can bring my kids to work. I remember the first day I ever worked, and I remember calling my mom and telling her this is where I am supposed to be.”

Salazar said he is happy volunteering at the Center store and being a part of bringing the community together.

“We were sad to see it close last year, but we are happy about reopening and making this place a place for the community to depend on and enjoy. Giving back to the community is what this is all about. Helping people is our main goal. We are looking forward to the grand opening and really bringing the place together.”

For more information about the Rainbow’s End Store in Center, contact Ornelas or Salazar at the Alamosa store at 719-589-8778.