The Rack, an on-campus thrift store for Columbia students, recently relocated to a space in the 916 S. Wabash building that had most recently been used as a COVID clinic during the pandemic.
The Rack was started as a one time clothing swap event hosted by Columbia Pride in 2016 and advised by Matthew Rillie, who is now coordinator of student support and engagement. It became a regularly repeating event due to its rise in popularity.
“We started a sometimes monthly or every other month clothing swap for students to have accessible, affirming clothes available to them,” Rillie said. “The following year in 2019, the clothing swaps turned into the official Rack.”
The original location was on the fourth floor of 618 S. Michigan Ave and was run by Student Diversity and Inclusion.
“Its mission became even bigger,” Rillie said. “It was meant for affirmation of gender, but also sustainability, accessible clothing.”
Along with the mission, its inventory grew.
“We expanded to toiletries, sexual health products and kind of a miscellaneous things as well,” Rillie said. “So we would have decor, accessories, every now and then, but really, just this beautiful resource for free meant to say we deserve accessible clothes; we deserve accessible things that bring us joy.”
The Rack has grown mainly from student donations but also through the efforts of student organizations such as the Columbia à La Mode, Columba’s fashion styling committee.
In Fall 2023, SDI reached out to the then Fashion Department. The student interest and demand for The Rack turned out to be more than they could handle.
“The access to whatever The Rack was able to provide was really one of my main lenses,” Rillie said.
This transfer of power saw the Fashion Department laying some new cornerstones to how The Rack would operate, while maintaining true to its original vision.
“We’ve been really careful to offer our zhuzh, but also keep it student centered, keep it focused on offering students opportunities for gender exploration and other forms of identity, exploration and expression, and ensuring that it’s accessible and available to all on our campus,” said Colbey Reid, director of the School of Fashion.
These initiatives saw action through the genderless ways the store has been arranged, as well as the styling opportunities the space allows for.
“I would say that a big part of it was definitely creating a space that really reinforced the fact that clothing does not have a gender,” said Noelle Bushman, administrative assistant for the School of Fashion. “Creating a space where we weren’t separating it into, ‘these are boys clothes and these are girls clothes.’”
Clothing at The Rack is separated by item type, like long-sleeved shirts and not the assumed gender of any given item, allowing for students to really explore their own identity.
Lourdes Sak, a sophomore fashion major, runs the front desk of The Rack, working with the inventory as well as with any students or classes who need help.
“I’d say every month or so, we have a new installation,” said Saks. “A lot of fashion classes are doing the installation, so it should be pretty cool.”
Saks helped in the creation of the new ethos for The Rack, pushing for more advertisement, and now rotates out inventory while maintaining relationships with the staff of the School of Fashion and staying true to The Rack’s core mission.
“I think combining the two is just going to create such a unique resource,” Rillie said.
The Rack’s grand opening at its new location, 916 S. Wabash, is Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 12-2 pm. It is open Monday to Friday, 7- 10 p.m. and on Saturday 10-6 p.m.
Copy edited by Matt Brady
Resumen en Español:
The Rack, una tienda de segunda mano en el campus para estudiantes de Columbia, se mudó al edificio 916 S. Wabash, que antes fue clínica de COVID. Nació en 2016 como un intercambio de ropa organizado por Columbia Pride y se convirtió en una tienda establecida en 2019.
Originalmente administrado por la oficina de Diversidad e Inclusión Estudiantil, su misión creció para incluir afirmación de género, sostenibilidad y accesibilidad. Su inventario ahora abarca ropa, productos de higiene y accesorios, gracias a donaciones estudiantiles y apoyo de organizaciones como Columbia à La Mode.
Los estudiantes pueden ingresar libremente durante el horario de operación. La gran inauguración en su nueva ubicación será el miércoles 5 de febrero, de 12 a 2 p.m. The Rack abre de lunes a viernes de siete a 10 p.m. y los sábados de 10 a 6 p.m.
Resumen en Español por Doreen Abril Albuerne Rodriguez
Texto editado por Manuel Nocera