Family Thrift North aims for affordability
Desiree LeTourneau, a co-owner of Owatonna Family Thrift, prices jewelry as she puts the finishing touches on the new south location of the thrift store. The store opened on March 4. Staff photo by Karen M. Jorgensen
Owatonna Family Thrift Store opened its doors in Owatonna at 195 SE 18th St. in January 2025. Now, a little over a year later, Family Thrift North is open for business at 346 W. Bridge St., as of March 4.
The idea for the original Family Thrift Store came about after the Salvation Army Thrift Store closed in 2024, said Mike and Desiree Letourneau, owners of the store.
Mike LeTourneau said he had been working at a factory in Owatonna and had thought about the idea of opening his own business. About three weeks after the Salvation Army Thrift Store closed, he was laid off from his job. As he thought about what to do next, the idea of a thrift store to fill the void created by the Salvation Army store closing became clear.
After months of planning, Owatonna Family Thrift opened for business in January 2025. The store, he said, is organized as non-profit charity.
The goal of the store is to provide affordable used goods and furniture for budget conscious shoppers and to benefit the community, environment and local economy.
The store quickly gained customers and support in Owatonna and grew in its first year.
All items are donated by community members and staffed by volunteers.
While the original Family Thrift Store sells all types of goods from clothing to appliances to furniture to books and everything in between, Family Thrift North has a more limited focus, Desiree LeTourneau said. The couple describe it on their Facebook page as “a brand-new boutique extension of Owatonna Family Thrift. OFT North will feature a thoughtfully curated selection of ladies clothing, jewelry and purses in a boutique-style shopping experience.”
Like the original store, all merchandise will be items donated by community members. The new store is considerably smaller than the original store and as such donations will not be accepted at the Bridge Street location. All donations, Desiree said, should be taken to the original store on 18th Street.
Both stores are open to everyone in the community, the LeTourneau’s said, and a discount is offered to anyone who is eligible to shop at Community Pathways.
Owatonna Family Thrift North is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The south Owatonna store is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Donations are accepted at the store on Saturday and Sunday.