Dinosaurs & Roses opens North Las Vegas store to support local causes

Dinosaurs & Roses specializes in offering affordable apparel, entertainment and household items with one twist. Unlike other Las Vegas Valley thrift stores, the nonprofit partners with various local causes and charities to give back to the community.

At the newest location, 365 W. Craig Road, Suite 127, store owner and executive director Michele Morgan-Devore is hoping to connect with the northern-area community.

“Any purchase that people make here is a purchase they can feel good about knowing that they are helping someone else,” Morgan-Devore said. “We have literally helped thousands of families over the years.”

Every purchase goes toward the nonprofit’s outreach program, which offers families in need a chance to shop for household items and clothes free at its east valley location.

“Once they get a referral from one of our partnering agencies, we have a no-questions-asked policy,” Morgan-Devore said. “They can come into our store on Tropicana Avenue and get whatever they need.”

Inside the discount store, where the former Krush Girlz shop was, customers can find paintings, dishes, clothing, toys, books and DVDs.

A special section is planned for wedding and quinceanera gowns, as well as other formal wear, Morgan-Devore said.

“We don’t have a formula on how we sell things, but we give very good discounts,” Morgan-Devore said. “For example, we have brand-new Izod pants, which normally run for $57, and we’re selling them for $5. We also have $1,000 wedding gowns here for $100. We just want to be able to turn merchandise over at a good price.”

The store has a six- to eight-month lease to see how the community responds to it.

“If people respond well to our store, we plan to expand big time in this same shopping center,” Morgan-Devore said. “We want to hear from the community about what they would like to see at our store.”

The store accepts donations of any kind, and whatever it doesn’t sell it repurposes, she added.

Morgan-Devore is also looking for volunteers to help run the store and sort through donations.

In addition to the outreach program, the nonprofit has a coupon program, which aids more than 40 organizations, institutions and agencies, including the UNLV School of Dental Medicine, Women Veterans of Nevada, St. Jude’s Ranch and the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada.

The nonprofit works with the groups by providing special promotions where a percentage of sales go to support them.

“All people have to do is print out the coupon or show the coupon from their phone and people can shop for their favorite charity,” Morgan-Devore said.

Berta Umana, store manager, added that the nonprofit also works with the Clark County Juvenile Justice Services Department to help rehabilitate youths through community service.

“Some of them will even get hired to work with us for a few hours,” Umana said. “We do our best to give back to the community. If I see that people don’t have enough money to buy items they’re interested in, I always give them a discount.”

Along with the east valley thrift shop at 4310 E. Tropicana Ave., Suite 6-9, Morgan-Devore is also the owner of the Dinosaurs & Roses Home Accents store inside the Meadows Mall, 4300 Meadows Lane, and the Dinosaurs & Roses Boutique at Tivoli Village, 440 S. Rampart Blvd. She said each store caters to different needs.

“We are the people’s charity,” she said. “We are here to assist the community in everything. A lot of people on this side of town are looking for a good bargain. Here they can shop without the guilt.”

Store hours in North Las Vegas are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and are subject to change.

Call 702-277-3752 or visit dinosaursandroses.org.

To reach North View reporter Sandy Lopez, email slopez@viewnews.com or call 702-383-4686. Find her on Twitter: @JournalismSandy.