What Surprise Shop does

The Surprise Shop is a consignment and donation-based thrift store operated by Trinity Episcopal Church in Towson, Maryland. Housed in the church's historic 1883 stone rectory at 122 Allegheny Avenue, the shop sells a rotating inventory of men's, women's, and children's clothing, housewares, jewelry, books, music, small electronics, and furniture, including a designated "Brand Name Room" for higher-end consigned items. Its underlying technology is minimal — there is no e-commerce platform, no proprietary software, and no app; customer engagement is limited to a Facebook page and the parent church's website.

The business operates on two revenue streams: consignment sales (the shop sells items on behalf of donors and splits proceeds) and direct sales of donated goods. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and follows typical thrift-store price points, with periodic promotional events such as 50% off sales and "Christmas in July." All proceeds are directed to charitable purposes rather than profit — specifically the outreach ministries of Trinity Episcopal Church, the Assistance Center of Towson Churches (ACTC), and Janet's Drawers, a named ministry that distributes essential undergarments to people in need.

The shop's go-to-market is community-led: walk-in shoppers in Towson, word-of-mouth through the church congregation and volunteer networks, and a formal referral pipeline through ACTC for individuals experiencing homelessness and those with limited resources in Baltimore County. It serves a dual customer base — paying thrift shoppers and referred beneficiaries receiving goods at no or low cost — within a strictly local, single-storefootprint operating geography.

Name

Surprise Shop

Legal name

Trinity Episcopal Church, Towson

Website

https://surpriseshop.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1883

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Surprise Shop is a charitable consignment and donation thrift store operated by Trinity Episcopal Church in Towson, Maryland, selling clothing, housewares, and small goods to support outreach ministries and serve people experiencing homelessness in Baltimore County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Thrift and Consignment Retail

NAICS

Used Merchandise Retailers (459510)

SIC

Retail-Variety Stores (5331)

akta.pro primary industry

Traditional Variety Stores (General Variety & Five-and-Dime) (CRAEAGAA)

Keywords

• Consignment thrift store
• Charitable retail
• Donated clothing
• Second-hand goods
• Community outreach ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Towson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Consignment Sales: The shop accepts items on consignment, selling goods on behalf of donors and splitting proceeds. Inventory includes men's, women's and children's clothing, housewares, jewelry, books, music, small electronics, and furniture.
2. Direct Sales: Direct sales of donated items to shoppers. Proceeds support charitable outreach ministries of Trinity Episcopal Church and community programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

The Surprise Shop operates a consignment and donation-based thrift store in the historic 1883 stone rectory of Trinity Episcopal Church in Towson, Maryland. It sells donated and consigned goods including men's, women's, and children's clothing, housewares, jewelry, books, music, small electronics, and furniture, while channeling proceeds toward charitable outreach including the Janet's Drawers undergarments ministry and partnerships with the Assistance Center of Towson Churches (ACTC).

Product overview

The Surprise Shop is a charitable consignment thrift store operated by Trinity Episcopal Church, located in the historic stone rectory built in 1883. The shop operates primarily as a consignment and donation-based retail store offering a constantly changing inventory of men's, women's, and children's clothing, as well as housewares, jewelry, books, music, small electronics, and furniture. The store also provides donation acceptance services and volunteer opportunities. A key charitable program is Janet's Drawers, which provides essential undergarments to individuals and families in need. The shop supports the Assistance Center of Towson Churches (ACTC) and Trinity Episcopal Church's outreach ministries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Janet's Drawers: A ministry of The Surprise Shop named in honor of dedicated volunteer Janet Radcliffe, providing essential undergarments including women's and men's underwear, socks, and bras to individuals and families in need

Products and services

• The Surprise Shop A consignment thrift store offering donated and consigned goods including men's, women's, and children's clothing, housewares, jewelry, books, music, small electronics, and furniture. Open Monday–Saturday 10am–4pm in Towson, MD, serving the general community and individuals experiencing homelessness or with limited resources.
• Donations Service Accepts donated items from community members for resale in the thrift store, with proceeds supporting the shop's charitable mission.
• Consignment Service
• Janet's Drawers

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Assistance Center of Towson Churches (ACTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Surprise Shop works closely with ACTC to provide clothing and accessories to individuals and families in need in the Baltimore County area. ACTC refers customers to the shop who are experiencing homelessness or have limited resources.
• Janet's DrawerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNamed in honor of volunteer Janet Radcliffe, this ministry provides essential undergarments including women's and men's underwear, socks, and bras to individuals and families in need. Named after the painted bureau used for storage of these goods.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Emerging players

• ThredUp: Online-first resale platform for secondhand apparel with an owned retail outlet program. Comparable on secondhand clothing resale; differs as a digital-native operator where the Surprise Shop has no online channel.

Direct peers

• Assistance League Thrift Shops: Network of volunteer-run nonprofit thrift shops whose proceeds fund local philanthropic programs. Direct structural analog to the Surprise Shop's volunteer-staffed, single-parish-funded charitable retail model.
• Crossroads Trading: For-profit resale retailer specializing in secondhand clothing and accessories through both stores and online. Comparable on consignment/buy outright model and curated resale merchandising.
• Housing Works Thrift Shops: New York-based nonprofit thrift stores funding HIV/AIDS housing and services. Closely comparable nonprofit thrift model using donated goods to fund direct social-service programs.
• Buffalo Exchange: Resale apparel and accessories retailer that buys outright from the public. Comparable consignment-adjacent model with curated vintage and brand-name inventory.
• St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores: Catholic-affiliated thrift retail network selling donated clothing and household goods to fund direct-service programs for people in need. Closely mirrors the Surprise Shop's faith-based, charity-funded resale model.
• Habitat for Humanity ReStores: Nonprofit home-furnishings resale chain selling donated furniture, housewares, and appliances to fund affordable housing. Direct comparable on the secondhand household-goods retail model and mission-driven structure.

Broad incumbents

• Savers / Value Village: Large for-profit thrift chain buying inventory in bulk from nonprofit donors and operating retail stores across North America. Comparable broad-assortment secondhand retailer, though with a different ownership structure.
• Salvation Army Family Stores: Operates a national network of thrift stores funded by donated goods, with proceeds supporting social-service programs including homeless services. Highly comparable faith-affiliated, mission-driven thrift model.
• Goodwill Industries: The largest nonprofit thrift/retail operator in the U.S., selling donated clothing, housewares, and furniture through hundreds of stores and funding workforce programs. Closest broad incumbent comparison to the Surprise Shop's mission-driven resale model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/TrinityChurchTowson
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCuYhuH-V-Ns9DLW-X8-SKaA
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheSurpriseShop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/surprise-shop
• Instagraminstagram.com/trinitytowson

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Surprise Shop