“Not Charity, but a Chance”: Philanthropic Capitalism and the Rise of American Thrift Stores, 1894–1930

Goods salvaging programs initiated by the Salvation Army and Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries provided work, shelter, and clothing for charity-seekers, who transformed unwanted goods into viable consumer products. Called thrift stores in the U.S. by the 1920s, they represented a deliberate, profitable sea change in Christian-based community outreach, one requiring business savvy and an understanding of demographic shifts.