About 100 people gathered Monday, July 28, to celebrate the opening and ribbon cutting of the new St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store at 312 N. Jackson St., the former American Legion Colonnade building.
Business and civic leaders, members of the St. Vincent de Paul St. Louis Board, and local Catholic clergy attended the ceremony. Conference President Andy Graf opened the event by welcoming guests and offering an overview of the Vincentian Order, its mission and the values driving the organization’s work.
“The Society of St. Vincent de Paul St. Louis envisions a unified and spiritually vibrant community that boldly embodies Christ’s love,” Graf said. “Rooted in the tradition of our patron, St. Vincent de Paul, and inspired by the example of our founder, Blessed Frederick Ozanam and Blessed Rosalie Rendu, we respond to the needs of the poor.”
Graf explained that the organization’s vocation is built on three pillars — spirituality, fellowship and service. “Through prayer, we seek to deepen the relationship with Christ,” he said. “In fellowship, we accompany one another on our spiritual journey. Through service, we encounter Christ in those who are poor, allowing love and humility to guide our actions.”
He said the move from the original store at 123 W. North St. became necessary after the group lost its warehouse.
“In 2022, we bought this round top building here off to my left and over an acre of land that it sat on,” Graf told the crowd. “We needed a building because we lost a warehouse to store goods, and we turn over a lot of goods, so that was a problem. We’re blessed that we were able to get this building.”
Graf noted that volunteers did much of the renovation work.
“We gutted the stage. We gutted the basement, painted the basement. This building has been gutted and redone by volunteers of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and our friends,” he said.
“That was not part of the construction project except for the painting on the outside.”
The project was funded through a combination of community donations, business contributions and state support.
“In 2024, the Missouri Department of Economic Development accepted our application to solicit donations from businesses,” Graf said. “In return, they received a 70 percent tax credit on their state taxes. The business community donated a half million dollars to this project — wow! — and you, the community and other businesses, chipped in another $600,000 in less than two years. One point one million dollars, and this is what we got. It’s fantastic, and it’s paid for. Thank you, Perryville!”
The completed facility now houses the thrift store, offices, a basement warehouse, 30 off-street parking spaces and a gravel lot that Graf hopes will one day hold a new furniture warehouse.
“When we get another $400,000, we’re going to put a warehouse there and put our furniture there — so that’s phase two,” Graf said. “This complex will serve our neighbors in need for the next 22 years, at least, to serve the poor in Perry County.”
Victor Klaus, speaking on behalf of the store’s volunteers, highlighted Graf’s leadership and the support of his wife, Barb. “This presentation is about Andy Graf, but it’s also about his wife Barb,” Klaus said. “She provided great support throughout this whole process, so thank you, Barb.”
Klaus said the project took years to complete and required the efforts of many, but Graf’s leadership made the difference.
“A few years ago, our president of our conference here, Andy Graf, heard the concerns of the volunteers and the community regarding our first store,” he said. “With input from our society, the community, and even local business and civic leaders, he began to formulate a plan for the future. Andy will be the first person to tell you that this was God’s plan, and with the help of many people, this plan slowly grew and came together. Ultimately, though, Andy took this project on his shoulders and made it the reality that you see today.”
To honor Graf’s contributions, Klaus announced that he had been enrolled in a perpetual membership at the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal, where he will be remembered in special novenas, monthly Masses and prayers by the Vincentian community throughout the western United States.
Mayor Larry Riney also addressed the audience before the building was blessed and the ribbon-cutting ceremony was held.
“Thank you for the invitation to this monumental achievement,” Riney said. “This isn’t just a thrift store; it’s a place where every purchase and donation directly supports our neighbors in need. None of this would be possible without the many hands and hearts that brought this vision to life. Here, every purchase has a purpose. Every donation makes a difference. From helping families in crisis to providing food, housing and other essential support, this store turns everyday generosity into hope and healing. May God bless this space, all who enter it, and all those we are called to serve.”
Following the speeches, local clergy blessed the building, and the ribbon was cut to officially open the thrift store’s new home.
