Jen Brodal/MDN The staff at Twice As Nice thrift store are shown in front of the 1933 S. Broadway, Suite 3, location. From left to right are Marlene YoungBird, Tina Cimino, Nalonna Redford, Vivian Wells, Dusty Jackson and James Jackson.

A thrift store opening in Minot Tuesday is a vision realized.

MHA Nation West Segment council member Gladys Sherry Turner-Lone Fight had a vision for the West Segment community outreach office to empower the people living off the reservation in the Minot community to have the resources to become more self-sufficient and give back to the Minot community, said Dusty Jackson, community outreach and team member of the first thrift store of the MHA Nation’s West Segment.

Twice as Nice will have an initial soft opening of the first section of its space at 1933 S. Broadway, Suite 3, Tuesday, and plans are to expand farther into the space over the coming year. The store will accept cash only, said Vivian Wells, community outreach and store operator. The first 25 customers will receive gift bags and discounts.

The store is taking donations at the east-side door and has had a great response from the public already. Wells said they find that sorting the garbage from the goods at the door, in baskets, helps keep the store clean and organized. Jackson said they will take unexpired food items for their MHA West Segment food pantry.

Twice As Nice does not take mattresses. Wells said donations of socks and undergarments must be new and are appreciated. With colder weather coming, Wells said, they have ordered new socks, underwear and a new dumpster with a chain link on it.

Twice As Nice plans to give back to the community of Minot’s sober living shelters and the Domestic Violence Crisis Center shelter by giving vouchers to clients to come and shop when they are experiencing homelessness and that restart, said Wells.

In doing the research prior to starting the store, the staff took in comments on thrift store smells and lighting and have made Twice as Nice literally twice as nice. The cleanliness after removing the old 1970s’ carpet and painting the space a bright and uplifting color makes the space inviting, Jackson said.

Currently, Twice as Nice employs a staff of seven and plans to collaborate with The Difference-A Holistic Approach as well as other wellness programs and Minot-area nonprofit organizations, Wells said. Twice As Nice also asks for new toiletries, such as toothpaste, soaps and razors, to create baskets and take-and-use items for collaborative efforts with community organizations and store patrons.