Pop-up store to offer clothes, other goods for the homeless

What do you get for the person who has almost nothing? Michele Morgan thinks the answer is “dignity and choice.”

Morgan is the owner and creator of the thrift store Dinosaurs & Roses, 4310 E. Tropicana Ave., Suite 6. She was downtown when she happened upon hundreds of homeless people, many of whom seemed to live under the freeway. On that same day, a friend had forwarded a video about an unusual project to distribute clothing to the homeless called the Street Store. For Morgan, the timing was fate. She decided to bring the concept to Las Vegas.

The first Street Store was created in Capetown, South Africa, in January. The idea is simple: Give clothes to the homeless but also give them a choice by creating a pop-up store so they can pick their own clothing.

The project is a logical extension of Morgan’s store, which she said she created to help people who were in dire straits.

“I started the store in 2010 because the economy was so bad and the need was so great,” she said. “It felt like it was my obligation to give back to the community.”

The store is a nonprofit entity, and the money collected for goods sold goes back into paying employees, rent and store upkeep. It relies on donations of funds, clothing and other merchandise. Morgan also runs Morgan Specialties, 7310 Smoke Ranch Road, which prints promotional products such as tote bags and shirts. The for-profit business allows her to run the nonprofit by keeping her financially solvent.

Dinosaurs & Roses supports multiple charities by allowing coupons to be printed in their names, enabling them to receive a portion of the proceeds.

Hours for the Street Store are scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 7 at the Mt. Liberty Missionary Baptist Church, 330 N. Ninth St. The Rev. James Bracey Jr. is set to host the event.

“It’s an excellent idea,” he said. “The people are excited about it.”

The church distributes food to the less fortunate on most Wednesdays, serving 200 to 300 people, on average. The last few Wednesdays, the church has been distributing fliers for the Street Store and gathering information on the sizes people need.

“We’re here every Wednesday, except the first Wednesday of the month, when the need is not so strong,” Bracey said. “There’s a lot of powerful needs here, and we try to help out as much as we can.”

Morgan plans to provide a variety of clothes at the pop-up store. The clothing, blankets and other items to help during the colder months will be provided free to the homeless and those down on their luck. Morgan is still seeking donations of clothing and other items for the Street Store and Dinosaurs & Roses. She’s also looking for corporate partners to help gather clothing and financially support the project.

“I’ve put the word out there,” Morgan said. “I planned it for the first Friday of the month to coincide with the monthly First Friday (Las Vegas art walk). I’m hoping to catch the attention of some of the new businesses downtown. So far, the only company that’s contributed has been the CasaBlanca (resort) in Mesquite. They’re 90 miles away, but they donated over $13,000 worth of goods.”

For more information or to make a donation, visit dinosaursandroses.org or call 702-277-3752.

Contact East Valley View reporter F. Andrew Taylor at ataylor@viewnews.com or 702-380-4532.