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Revivals Posts

A Long Life Well-Lived Through Service

by Daniel Vaillancourt

A Long Life Well-Lived Through Service

Per Frank Sinatra, love is lovelier the second time around. For Connie Lobo, life is a waltz — one, two, three time’s a charm. A 15-year Revivals Palm Desert staff member, Connie is small in stature but mighty in knowledge. She brings more than 50 years of experience to the store. 

She came to Rancho Mirage 23 years ago to visit a friend when something unexpected happened: She met Denis. Their commonalities astounded them. Each is an only child, each has the same China pattern from previous marriages, each installed the same tile in their hallway, and their birthdays are five days apart in March. What didn’t they have in common? Their age. Denis is 12 years Connie’s junior.

But age is just a number. So, a year later, Connie sold her house in Arizona, and they moved in together. Her eldest daughter, Cecelia, joined them later. Immortalized in Joshua M. Dragotta’s 2012 documentary, Cecelia gained fame as exotic dancer and burlesque performer Satan’s Angel. Her specialty is in the film’s title: “Satan’s Angel: Queen of the Fire Tassels.”

Connie and Denis never married because, she says, with a twinkle in her eye, “My first name is Constance, and his last name is Constant.” While that’s true, it was pragmatism that won the day. Both have children from previous marriages — Denis, one son; Connie, two, plus Cecelia. Their previous lives and estates were written in permanent markers. 

A home furnishings designer, Connie took a position at Wacky Wicker, but when the owner sold, Connie retired, something she’d tried several times. It never stuck. 

Cecelia suggested she volunteer. Connie resisted but interviewed as a gesture. She spent a year donating of her time at Revivals in Cathedral City. Her skill at identifying and pricing pre-loved home furnishings didn’t go unnoticed. Revivals Palm Desert offered her a staff position. Retirement just wasn’t sticky.

“Everyone knows and enjoys Connie,” says Palm Desert Store Manager Douglas Marriott. “Her wealth of knowledge helps me function better. We recently had a few statues that I thought were worth maybe $250.” Connie pipes in: “They were Rossi.” That’s Leonardo Rossi, whose work has brought up to $5,000 at auction. Connie’s pricing was fair, but nowhere near what you’d pay at auction or retail. “They didn’t stay around long,” Marriott says with a chuckle.

This year marks Connie’s 97th on the planet. When asked her secret to longevity, she quips, “Black coffee.” Her two boys — Ron (75) and Ray (65) — live in Texas and New Jersey, respectively. Cecelia passed away in 2019 at age 75. It’s still difficult for Connie. Cecelia was not only her firstborn. “We were the best of friends,” Connie says quietly. “The best.”

When a night out is called for, Connie and Denis enjoy La Tablita (near the Cathedral City Revivals), but she prefers to cook and stay in with Denis and their two rescue pups. Some believe if you’re over 60, you can’t find good, lasting friends, let alone love. After two marriages, and 70 years, Connie found both. She can’t tell you the recipe for love, but she can share her recipe for chili.

Connie Lobo’s Kansas Style Chili: Brown one pound of ground beef seasoned with salt, pepper, onion, garlic, and chili powders. Add two cans Mexican-style tomatoes and four cans of red kidney beans. Heat until done. Enjoy with corn chips.

DAP Health Celebrates El Día de Los Rey …

by Daniel Vaillancourt

DAP Health Celebrates El Día de Los Reyes (Three Kings Day) Early at Revivals Thrift Store in Indio

 

In many cultures around the world, January 6 (AKA The Epiphany) is considered the day the Three Wise Men finally arrived in Bethlehem to shower newborn Baby Jesus with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Latinos specifically celebrate this day, known to them as El Día de Los Reyes (Three Kings Day), with a plentiful, evening family meal that concludes with a sweet baked bread known as Rosca de Reyes (Three Kings bread) for dessert.

In cultural solidarity with the East Valley community, DAP Health joined families in and around Indio by celebrating El Día de Los Reyes one day early — on January 5, 2023 — from 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m. at the Indio branch of its Revivals Thrift Stores. While supplies lasted, shoppers who spent $10 or more received a complimentary rosca (valued at $17) from local bakery Panadería y Tortillería Guerrero.

“Día de Los Reyes marks the end of the holidays for the Latino community,” says Revivals Indio Store Manager Rosie Escobedo. “In celebrating this warm tradition and giving the gift of roscas, we at DAP Health and Revivals are expressing our appreciation for the Latino community of the East Valley. Without our loyal shoppers — most of whom are Latino — we wouldn’t be doing as well as we are in this location. We’ve been busy from Day One. People are grateful for the quality of our merchandise and for our low prices. We want to show them we’re grateful for them, too.”

“It’s such an honor and pleasure to have been chosen by DAP Health to contribute to this special day of giving back at Revivals,” says Panadería y Tortillería Guerrero Bakery Manager Oscar Guerrero. Run by parents Eutimio and Elva, with the help of Oscar and his sister Lorena, this family affair (located on Highway 111 at Clinton Street) has supplied its loyal customers with tortillas, tostadas, and so much more, all freshly made daily, since 2004.

“Our roscas have a slight orange flavor to them,” continues Guerrero. “Their shape signifies the kings’ crowns, the fruit represents their jewels. Every year, we bake about 1,500. They sell out quickly, straight out of the oven. People wait in line for them, something that makes us very proud and happy.”

More than 400 people turned out for the event, with more than 140 families taking a rosca home, compliments of Revivals and DAP Health.

Consistently voted the best of its kind in the Coachella Valley, Revivals is DAP Health’s chain of thrift/vintage/resale stores, staffed predominantly by volunteers, with outposts in Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Palm Desert, and Indio. One hundred percent of its profits fund the commitment to health equity espoused by the agency.

“By opening our Sexual Wellness Clinic, as well as our fourth Revivals store, in Indio, in 2022, we at DAP Health have shown our commitment to the health and prosperity of our desert neighbors in the East Valley,” says Director of Retail Dane Koch. “I’m so happy members of the community came out in full force to join our staff and volunteers in celebrating Three Kings Day, a wonderful family tradition that aligns perfectly with the values of our organization.”

A Moment with Revivals Donor and Shopper …

by Daniel Vaillancourt

A Moment With Revivals Donor and Shopper Ann Sheffer 

Ann Sheffer is committed to getting involved in her community in as many ways as possible. From 2015 to 2021, Sheffer — who with husband Bill Scheffler has called the desert home for 15 years — served on DAP Health’s all-volunteer board of directors, also co-chairing the organization’s 100 Women donor group and annual Everyday Heroes event, which honors DAP Health’s devoted core of volunteers. 

Chair of the Palm Springs Public Arts Commission also from 2015 to 2021, Sheffer is currently a member of the task force overseeing the upcoming Palm Springs AIDS Memorial Sculpture, to be created by esteemed artist Phillip K. Smith III and placed in the city’s Downtown Park. 

Sheffer continues to be a stalwart DAP Health supporter. Most recently, that patronage took the form of a large and varied donation to the Palm Springs Revivals location. Below, the humanitarian activist talks about why she gives to the award-winning resale store, and why others should follow her lead. 

 

How did you first hear of Revivals? 

Well, this amazing retail space is clearly beloved in the community, so I surely heard of it fairly soon after Bill and I moved here. But I didn’t really appreciate how much money it generates for DAP Health until I was on the board. It’s quite extraordinary. 

 

How long have you been a Revivals donor, handing over your pre-loved items so they can be re-loved? 

Certainly since I was a board member, but probably even before that. I remember once packing up a suitcase full of clothing and donating all of it — including the suitcase! I especially like what my dear friend, the late Barbara Keller, once said. When she would buy something new, she would take something old out of her closet and put it in a pile to donate to Revivals. Barbara was my role model and such an inspiration. She was the president of DAP Health’s board when I joined, and she and I — alongside our friend Terri Ketover — were committed to increasing DAP Health’s outreach to women, as clients and donors. Giving to Revivals is the perfect way to achieve this.  

 

Tell me about your most recent donation to the Palm Springs store. 

After not going to many events during COVID, I realized that I had literally dozens of gala outfits, costume jewelry, and uniquely Palm Springs purses in fun shapes such as flamingos, cosmopolitan cocktails, popcorn containers, and the like. Bill and I also had everyday clothing that had been hardly worn, not to mention kitchen appliances, games, and several hundred books. 

 

Why do you think Revivals is especially deserving? 

Because of the work DAP Health does. It really is one of the most well-thought-out and best-run organizations in the desert. CEO David Brinkman has a vision, and as board members, we were just there to make it happen. There are many ways the agency raises money, but Revivals seems like the perfect kind of fit to what DAP Health does. It’s good for the people who make donations, and for the people who can come buy great things at reasonable prices. You give, but you also take back a lot of satisfaction from having been part of it. 

 

You’re also a Revivals shopper? 

Absolutely. It’s such a great collection of stuff! The other day, when I made my drop-off, [DAP Health Director of Brand Marketing] Steven Henke took me into the back room, where some people were repairing jewelry and electronics while others were sorting books. It’s like Santa’s Workshop. There’s always a constant flow of donations to all four stores — in Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Palm Desert, and now Indio — so the volunteers and staff have to keep processing so many things. If you compare Revivals to other resale stores, there’s no question it just has so much more pizzazz and style. 

 

You would no doubt strongly encourage your fellow desert dwellers to follow your example and donate. 

Again, absolutely. Palm Springs is a very generous, compassionate community on many levels. But we also like to have fun while raising funds — at events such as DAP Health’s The Chase or the upcoming Palm Springs Film Awards gala. Donating to Revivals is a way to recycle outfits while also benefiting those in need. The best example of this “circle of life” is the time someone — I’ll never say who — showed up at a DAP Health event wearing a very colorful, elegant outfit I’d donated to Revivals. That brought such a big smile to my face. 

Revivals and The Bobs

by Steven Henke

Fighting e-waste with “the Bobs” at Revivals 

Revivals Stores agrees with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and sees the value of electronics that can be reused, refurbished, or recycled to minimize the actual waste that might end up in a landfill. This helps prevent polluting at unprotected dump sites in the Coachella Valley, and at locations abroad where it might be shipped.  

There is good reason for this concern. Although electronics waste (e-waste) represents 2% of America's trash in landfills, it equals 70% of overall toxic waste, due to the presence of heavy metals. (EPA) 

The EPA also says donating used (but still operating) electronics for reuse helps prevent waste and pollution. Embracing resale extends the lives of valuable products and keeps them out of landfills. And if fewer new units need to be manufactured to meet consumer needs, our carbon footprint falls more. 

Revivals Stores has been fighting e-waste in the Coachella Valley for years by helping shoppers find useable electronics in great condition for a low price. But before items make it to the sales floor, sometimes they need to spend time in rehab with a pair of volunteer repairmen who have been compared to the dynamic duo.  

“The Bobs” help make Revivals Stores a go-to for historic electronics pieces that work like new, plus newer items ready for use. 

“We’re both electronic nerds,” Bob H. says.  

Busy year-round, their work receives extra attention during Palm Springs Modernism Week every February and October when period-specific pieces are in highest demand.  

“The Bobs” are driven to give back to their community by helping fight e-waste while expanding access to healthcare for patients at DAP Health.  

“We have a small footprint in our work area with the highest return for DAP Health, and all that money goes to services,” Bob L. explains. “You can't get much better than that.” 

Both say that volunteering for Revivals Stores has provided them with something meaningful and fulfilling, on top of their career accomplishments.  

“When I retired, I wanted to find something that enables me to have this feeling that I am giving back something to my community,” says Bob H. “You walk out of here at the end of the day and feel like you've accomplished something.” 

Volunteering helps Bob L. tap into motivation he felt during his earlier career.  

“I have tried to always find a place in my career that when we finish, the community's in a better position, people are healthier and they're safer.” 

Volunteering at Revivals gives that to him. 

“The thing about DAP Health is it has a very dynamic ability to respond to the needs in the community as they change, to evaluate them and deliver services, whether it's medical assistance or counseling or support.” 

For store locations or to learn more about Revivals, please visit their website: revivalsstores.com

Mode – Take it Home Today

by Steven Henke

Take It Home Today – Mode Furniture at Revivals 

Sometimes the feedback Kris Fisher gets about Mode furniture at Revival’s makes him feel like he is in the 1993 film Groundhog Day about a meteorologist who finds himself living the same day repeatedly.  

The reaction many furniture shoppers have when they see the quality, design, and affordable prices of Mode is “Why didn’t I stop by Revivals first?”   

Fisher says “I cannot tell you the number of times I have heard that. People have purchased from us and then canceled their six-month sofa order because they can take it home today when they buy furniture at Revivals.”   

Fisher is the Senior Store Coordinator at the Palm Springs Revivals store and spends much of his time helping customers shop for or special-order brand-new Mode furniture, lighting, rugs, and art.  

The pandemic has created chaos for most retailers struggling with supply chain issues.  Backlogs of shipping containers in Los Angeles and Long Beach, which account for 40 percent of sea shipping freights in the U.S. remain a challenge. 

What that has meant for furniture shoppers is lengthy delays of having their furniture delivered. Commonly, it is taking three months or longer.   

For those in the know, the Mode brand is known for quality, design, and affordable price points. Revivals has an added feature that appeals to shoppers - the ability to see it, buy it, and take it home the same day. Many shoppers are savvy decorators, mixing resale and brand-new pieces in their homes to create a unique look and feel that reflects their individuality. 

Each of the four Revivals stores buys for its area and sells the furniture directly off its sales floor while offering some styles to be special ordered. This allows Palm Springs to offer a different assortment than the stores in Cathedral City, Palm Desert, and Indio. It is a byproduct of each Revivals store listening to its customers and reflecting those needs in its collection of Mode furniture.  

Earlier this year, a realtor was looking for nightstands to help him stage his properties. Fisher is strategic in his ordering of new furniture and is quick to respond to changing customer needs. At the beginning of the pandemic, the Palm Springs store had only a few desks on its sales floor. When the world went into lockdown, it became apparent that desks would become a necessity for people working from home. In turn, Revivals launched a new campaign ‘Home Means More Now’ featuring all the many ways Americans were expecting their rooms and their furniture to pull double duty. 

“We get a lot of compliments on the comfort of our furniture and especially the comfort of our beds. I have overheard customers say, ‘oh my goodness, I can’t believe I’m able to get a bed for $400,” Fisher says. Customers come back and tell him, “We put the mattress in our guest bedroom and now our guests are asking where we got it so they can buy one for their home.” 

Shopping at Revivals also Benefits the Community 

For 26 years, 100% of Revivals profits have benefited DAP Health (formerly Desert AIDS Project). DAP Health (DAP) is an advocacy-based health center in Palm Springs, CA serving over 10,000 patients, offering medical and mental healthcare, STI testing and treatment, dentistry, pharmacy, and lab. A variety of wraparound services enable patients to experience optimal health, including social services, support groups, alternative therapies, and other wellness services. Excellent HIV care is provided by the largest team of specialized clinicians in the area.   

“It’s rewarding to know you are part of something that’s the backbone of this community,” Fisher said. “DAP has always done a lot for this community. That is why people donate to us. 

Revivals is staffed by a mix of employees and community volunteers who care about the experience customers have in each of the stores. “Revivals is committed to providing a shopping experience that makes folks smile,” says Dane Koch, the Director of Retail. “Shopping at Revivals is a unique experience that creates a feel-good effect. We want our shoppers to know that they matter to us.”   

If you have not already experienced the thrill of the save at Revivals, you can find a store near you on the retailer's website revivalsstores.com. While there, you can preview or buy select items from the Mode collection along with a specially-curated collection of ‘mixed century modern’ resale items.

Revivals Stores Website

Revivals Online Artist Spotlight Feature …

by Dustin Gruber

Revivals Online Artist Spotlight Features DAP Health Clients

When words fail him, Robert Coughlin’s art speaks for him.

“I don’t know if I do too well in language, I feel a bit lacking in being able to communicate. I really think that painting for me is my voice.” Coughlin says. “I had a pretty rough childhood, so my images have always been really bright and colorful. I’ve always wanted anybody who sees them to feel lifted up.”

Coughlin, along with nine other DAP Health clients, will have his art for sale during the holiday season in an artist spotlight on Revival’s website (revivalsstores.com).

Corina Lujan, DAP Health Wellness Center Manager, says selling the art is an extension of a career development program at DAP Health that helps clients become productive. Through the program, it was apparent there were a number of talented artists. “A lot of them are really skilled with no place to sell their art,” Lujan explains.

“Selling their art is a way for them to make a little bit of extra money, especially since some of them are on disability. Their fixed income doesn’t allow for a lot.”

Normally, client art is displayed in the lobby of the Barbara Keller Love Building at DAP Health. But construction and COVID reduced the traffic flow through the hallway.

“We launched e-commerce at Revivals during the pandemic and felt the timing was right to use the online site to spotlight DAP Health clients,” says Director of Retail, Dane Koch. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the artist. The timing of the online sale makes giving a gift for the greater good easier than ever before. The limited-timed event begins on November 25, 2021, and will end on January 2, 2022.

Coughlin says he is excited that he will be able to sell his watercolor and acrylic paintings. His paintings are a form of communication for him and one of the messages he wants to portray is his gratitude for DAP Health providing the care he needed.

“I wept the first time I went to the dentist there,” Coughlin says. “All my dental work was so necessary.

The dentists and everybody in the front office treated me with such compassion. It was very emotional for me that I wasn’t treated like a leper. I’m just so grateful for them, for Dr. (Tulika) Singh on the medical side and Josie (Pimentel) her assistant. They’ve just been so compassionate and kind and really supportive.”

Click here to meet the artists 

About Revivals

Giving Back Never Goes Out of Style. Shopping at Revivals funds hope and health for the 10,000 individuals who call DAP Health their healthcare home. Revivals Stores donate 100% of its profits, totaling over $1 million a year, to support comprehensive medical and mental healthcare at DAP Health.

Find Yourself at Revivals and support the community you want to create. Revivals has four locations throughout the Coachella Valley - Palm Springs, Indio, Cathedral City, and Palm Desert. Customers are also able to shop a broad collection of brand-new Mode furniture alongside vintage finds on its website.

DAP Health (DAP) is an advocacy-based health center in Palm Springs, CA offering medical and mental healthcare, STI testing and treatment, dentistry, pharmacy, and lab. A variety of wraparound services enable patients to experience optimal health, including social services, support groups, alternative therapies, and other wellness services. Excellent HIV care is provided by the largest team of specialized clinicians in the area. Visit Revivals Stores at www.revivalsstores.com.

Revivals Stores bring mid-century modern …

by Dustin Gruber

Revivals Stores bring mid-century modern treasures, resale to Coachella Valley

By Robert Hopwood

Revivals Stores has added another location in Indio, increasing the retail chain to four stores. The new store is located at Indio Plaza, a popular shopping center.

The 18,000-square-foot store will bring Revivals' unique mix of products to east valley consumers for the first time. And desert residents and visitors get another location to find that soon-to-be heirloom or rare piece of merchandise they didn't know they wanted.

Known for influencing the valley’s resale industry by blending and curating new items with resale items, Revivals has gained a reputation for discoverability and affordability, says Steve Henke, director of Brand Marketing for DAP Health.

About 70 percent of the merchandise at Revivals Stores is resale, and 30 percent is new. The chain's broad community of donors provides a steady supply of resale merchandise. Revivals also features the Mode Furniture brand of new furniture, lighting, and home decor.

"Revivals was early to innovate and is the only thrift store in America with its own brand of affordable new furniture," says Dane Koch, director of retail for DAP Health. "We buy a different assortment for each store location to reflect the communities we serve."

Revivals Stores serve Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Palm Desert and Indio.

"We are a resale store with resale prices, but we operate like a regular retailer," Koch says. "Our stores are clean; they're organized, they're easy to shop."

That's important.

"Our philosophy is that resale doesn't need to be ugly," Koch says. "It doesn't need to be messy … it doesn't need to be dirty."

Revivals Stores tend to be cleaner and brighter than other thrift stores, Henke explains. They're merchandised more like department stores to have kind of an elevated shopping experience.

Revivals has a unique vibe that appeals to a disparate group of consumers, from the budget-conscious shopper to the valley's best interior designers to desert socialites. Even those in the film industry — costume designers and set designers — can be found at Revivals, Henke says.

"A lot of people come to Revivals because they want the real deal," Henke says. "You know, they want that lamp from a certain era, or they want that sofa with the original fabric, or they want that jacket from, you know, a specific decade."

Shoppers want to find something unique and get it at the right price. It's the thrill of the hunt, Henke explains. As they scour Revivals' shelves and clothing racks, they slowly make their way down Highway 111, stopping at each store.

They might be looking for the fourth glass to complete a collection that was missing that glass, Henke suggests. They may have found something that evokes a memory. Or maybe they see the perfect reading lamp for the living room. The hunt is different for each person.

Shoppers often shop at all four Revivals locations because each store is unique.

The Palm Springs shop focuses on all things midcentury modern, the Cathedral City branch trades on value, and the Palm Desert outlets' assortment is more traditional in style.

"The mix of product tends to be reflective of the communities closest to that store," Henke explains. "So every store has a different and unique mix of product and assortment."

Revivals Stores is part of DAP Health, an advocacy-based health center serving more than 9,700 patients. Both the store and health center have strong roots in the community. Revivals donates all its profits to DAP Health — more than $1,000,000 annually — so people who need healthcare can get it.

Revivals Stores are staffed by 180 volunteers who support the mission of DAP Health. They donate about 13,000 hours a year to staff all four stores, said Henke. And they're local, so they get to form relationships with each shopper.

"There is a magic sauce to Revivals that’s hard to define, said Henke. "You know, it's a lot of bits and pieces that come together to make it what it is, but there is no other retail store like it. In many ways, it’s retail the way retail used to be when shopping was an exciting experience and the stores employees knew their customers names."

New Revivals Indio Opening May 15

by Dustin Gruber

Media Contact:
Robert Hopwood
rhopwood@daphealth.org
(619) 339-6817

New Revivals Indio Opening May 15

Chain Grows with Fourth Store

Revivals Stores is adding another location at Indio Plaza, a popular shopping center with ample parking. This new location will meet increased demand from the community for the thrill of the hunt. The resale store chain’s broad community of generous donors provides a steady supply of stellar resale merchandise, available to shoppers alongside brand-new furniture and home décor.

The 18,000-square-foot store will bring Revivals’ unique mix of products to Indio consumers for the first time. Indio Plaza stores like Food 4 Less, Sally Beauty, and dd’s Discounts make it easy to visit Revivals Indio when shopping for the family.

Just like at the other three stores, Revivals Indio will keep customers, volunteers, and employees comfortable and safe with enhanced store safety and cleaning standards for COVID-19.

Opening Day: Saturday, May 15, 2021

Shopping Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sundays

Where: Indio Plaza, 82-150 Highway 111, Indio, CA 92201

Website: revivalstores.com

Donation Drop-Off: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday

Free Donation Pick-Up: contact Chris Pacheco at 760-323-3662 or cpacheco@daphealth.org

Social Media:

Employment Opportunities 

Revivals is now hiring customer service and product flow coordinator professionals! Please send us a private message on social media or email info@daphealth.org. View all of our open position descriptions here: bit.ly/DAPHealthCareers.

Volunteer Opportunities

If you’re looking for a volunteer opportunity, and you like to be in the middle of excitement while meeting people, Revivals Indio has several ways you can make an impact.

“We are really excited to open up our Indio store,” says Marcie Lerner, volunteer coordinator for Revivals Stores. “Our success depends on the generosity of our volunteers’ time.”

Please e-mail Marice Lerner at mlerner@daphealth.org for information about volunteering at Revivals Indio.

Donation Drop-Off on Weekdays

Revivals Indio offers assisted donations drop off Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. Volunteers are happy to help unload your vehicle.

Donation Pick Up

To schedule a FREE pick-up, complete the form below or contact: Chris Pacheco at 760-323-3662 or cpacheco@daphealth.org

Known for influencing Coachella Valley resale industry by combining vintage and retail, Revivals is well known for affordability, discoverability, and its commitment to community.

“We are a resale store with resale prices, but we operate like a regular retailer,” says Dane Koch, director of retail for DAP Health. “Our stores are clean, they're organized, they're easy to shop.”

Revivals has a reputation for making resale shopping pleasant.

“Our philosophy is that that resale doesn't need to be ugly,” says Mr. Koch. “It doesn't need to be messy…it doesn't need to be dirty.”

Shoppers enjoy the thrill of the hunt when shopping at Revivals. They are looking for something unique at the right price point. About 70 percent of the merchandise is resale and 30 percent is brand new. Revivals also features the Mode Furniture brand of new furniture, lighting, and home decor and has been voted Best Furniture store by readers of The Desert Sun.

Operated by DAP Health, Revivals Stores are located in Palm Springs, Cathedral City and Palm Desert. Revivals offers home furnishing from more than 50 vendors—including brand names such as Ashley, Diamond, and Coaster curated by the local buying team under Revivals’ Mode Furniture brand. "Revivals was early to innovate and is the only thrift store in America with its own brand of affordable new furniture,” explains Koch. "We buy a different assortment for each store location to reflect the communities we serve."

The Palm Springs shop focuses on all things midcentury modern, the Cathedral City branch trades on value, and the Palm Desert outlets’ assortment is more traditional in style. The typical Revivals shoppers, however, likes to shop all our stores. They find that each one is unique.

The new Revivals Indio is expected to generate $1.2 million in revenue and $300,000 to $400,000 in profit. The three existing Revivals stores, meanwhile, contribute more than $1,000,000 to DAP Health’s budget.

RELATED: Revivals After-Dark Event Raised Funds and Evoked Origins of DAP 

RELATED: Revivals Stores Celebrating 25 Years  

About DAP Health  

DAP Health is an advocacy-based health center in Palm Springs, CA serving over 9,700 patients, offering medical and mental healthcare, STI testing and treatment, dentistry, pharmacy, and lab. A variety of services enable patients to experience optimal health, including social services, support groups, alternative therapies, and other wellness services. Excellent HIV care is provided by the largest team of specialized clinicians in the area.      

DAP Health opened one of California’s first COVID clinics and hotlines to offer screening, testing, and treatment. DAP Health is also working to improve social determinants of health to prevent negative health outcomes during this pandemic, like food and housing insecurity, joblessness, isolation, and access to ongoing healthcare.  

DAP Health’s sexual health clinic offers STI testing and treatment, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and HIV and HCV testing. DAP has earned Charity Navigator’s highest rating for the twelfth consecutive year – landing DAP in the top 6% of nonprofits rated. The distinction recognizes that DAP exceeds industry standards in terms of financial health, accountability, and transparency.      

The DAP Health Research Program is a leader in research that supports better health outcomes for people with HIV (PWH). The Program offers The ANCHOR Study at DAP Health, and research studies exploring antiretroviral medication and the effects of wellness on health.

Visit www.daphealth.org to learn more.

About Revivals Stores  

Revivals Stores has four locations: Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Palm Desert, and Indio.  The stores are staffed by 180 volunteers who support the mission of DAP Health, the healthcare home of more than 9,700 local residents. 

Revivals to make an annual $1 million contribution to DAP Health. DAP Health has earned a national reputation as one of the most comprehensive HIV service providers in the United States. Revivals employees and dedicated volunteers create a unique retail experience for the 29,000+ people who shop the stores each month looking for a unique thrift store find while shopping brand new furniture and accessories.

Greater Palm Springs residents know and love Revivals Stores and have voted it as Best Resale \ Thrift \ Furniture \ Consignment\ or Vintage Clothing Store in four local reader contests each year.   Revivals Stores won Best Furniture Store and Best Consignment / Resale Store in Desert Sun’s 2019 Ultimate Pride Contest, Best Consignment / Resale Store in Desert Magazine’s 2019 Best of the Valley, Best Thrift Store in CV Independents 2020 Best of Coachella Valley Contest, Best Thrift Store in GED Magazines 2019 Out Awards Contest, and Best Consignment / Best Thrift Store and Best Vintage Clothing Store in Palm Springs Life’s 2020 Best of the Best Contest.

To learn more: www.daphealth.org and revivalsstores.com

Finding Strength in Stories of Others

by Dustin Gruber

Finding Strength in Stories of Others

Weekend Wrap Message – Saturday, November 7, 2020, from David Brinkman, Desert AIDS Project CEO 

With #MyPrideStory, DAP Joins Apple Podcast

Going virtual for Pride this year is best for the public health, but it also means many LGBTQ+ people are losing an important annual tradition for self-affirmation, publicly celebrating a holiday created to champion LGBTQ+ self-acceptance, social progress and history. We can still enjoy and share stories of hope and resilience, keeping the spirit of Pride alive this year for ourselves and others. I invite you use the hashtag #MyPrideStory and share on social media about your first Pride experience, and how it made you feel.  I started by sharing my personal story of my first Pride celebration, and it brought back a lot of other special memories that remind me of why I am so committed to this work.  You can listen to my podcast with Steven Henke here. 

This is the first DAP Talks to be hosted on Apple Podcast and available on RSS feed. We will continue trying to reach at-risk populations with health information and access to care in a manner that works for them, and Apple is the world's largest platform for podcast discovery and listening.

Revivals Turns 25

COVID threatens to fragment communities everywhere, but Revivals Stores is safely bringing people together, all these years after it started on Vela Rd. near the airport in 1995. As it celebrates 25 years in business this month, Revivals keeps customers, volunteers, and donors coming back, even during this health crisis. It is major funding source for DAP Health, but its importance to our Valley goes far beyond that.

For 180 volunteers who provide their time and talent, we hear moving stories about their pride in giving back, their sense of community, and of seeking stability during COVID.

By adding safety practices and modifications in all three Revivals Stores early in the crisis, it has been able to continue serving this community. You can read more here.

Revivals Stores Celebrating 25 Years Rei …

by Dustin Gruber

Revivals Stores Celebrating 25 Years

Reinventing resale to raise millions for DAP 

(760) 656-8401 
shenke@desertaidsproject.org 
Contact: Steven Henke 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

PALM SPRINGS, CA- October 30, 2020 – Revivals Stores, with locations in Palm Springs, Cathedral City, and Palm Springs marks its 25th anniversary in business this month.  From its beginning as one store on Vela Rd. near the Palm Springs Airport in 1995, Revivals continues to keep customers, volunteers, and donors coming back, even during this health crisis.

Promotion to Thank Shoppers

To celebrate more than two decades of support and excellent shopping deals, Revivals Stores is inviting everyone to “Join the Treasure Hunt” and enjoy 50% OFF on select items throughout its stores beginning November 1 and extending through the 25th.

These special sale items will have a Revivals 25th Anniversary sticker on them and will be from Revivals new and resale inventory from all store departments.

Known for influencing Coachella Valley resale industry by combining vintage and retail, Revivals is well known for affordability, discoverability, and its commitment to community. 

100% of Revivals Stores profits (about $1 million annually) support comprehensive healthcare for the 7,000 residents of the Coachella Valley who call DAP their healthcare home.

The resale store chain’s broad community of generous donors guarantees a steady supply of stellar resale merchandise alongside brand-new furniture and home décor. 

Early Safety Modifications Paid Off

A major funding source for DAP Health, Revivals Stores implemented COVID safety measures over weeks of planning during the early months of the crisis. They include social distancing markers throughout the stores and some minor policy changes. To keep safety a priority, fitting rooms were closed, returns are no longer accepted, and customers now bag their own products unless it is a larger item that requires assistance.

“We quickly focused on how we could provide shoppers a safe Revivals experience,” says Dane Koch, DAP director of retail.  “Acting early has led to us being able to keep our doors open today and into the future.”

Volunteers Make Revivals Special

The retailer is also celebrating the volunteers who make Revivals a unique shopping experience. 

“For twenty-five years, volunteers at Revivals have been changing the world, one hour at a time,” says Marci Lerner, volunteer coordinator for Revivals Stores.  “We asked them to share why they donate their time and talent – the reasons are as unique as the volunteers themselves.”   

  • “As a retired IRS Agent, I like the focus and responsibility volunteering provides me.  It is especially important during COVID to keep my life on a steady keel.” - Steve S
  • "Volunteering provides me a unique opportunity to give back to an organization that has done and still is unreserved in its support of those who live with HIV and AIDS.  They have been a beacon of hope for so long.  It is a small, yet significant way for Revivals to continue to champion the needs of the community.” - Gary
  • "Volunteering helps me to feel part of the greater picture of supporting those in need.  It also enables me to use my skills to help others.  In addition, the social interaction and attention to detail assists in building cognitive strength.” - Guy
  • "Due to COVID, I’m unemployed and for the first time I have time to give back to my community.” - Sue
  • "Volunteering gives me purpose.  Revivals is the best volunteer organization.  What DAP services provide to clients is par none.  And the treatment of volunteers is amazing at Revivals.” - John

Revivals Stores Roots Are in Making Healthcare Attainable

The financial contribution that Revivals Stores provides to DAP Health is more important today than ever before, according to David Brinkman, CEO. 

“The AIDS crisis taught us that a community response is the most effective response if we want to address gaps in healthcare,” he said. “When people are in need and in fear, we must remember our humanity and take a place on the front lines.”

As DAP continues fighting to end HIV in the Coachella Valley, it has is also addressing healthcare inequities affecting the poor, which COVID has increased.

The Mystique of Revivals Stores

Revivals is reinventing resale, adding brand new items at affordable prices.  Selling never-used items such as bedding is old hat for the 25-year-old retailer; it’s been doing that for more than a decade-and-a-half. But five years ago, the decision was made to get into the new home décor business. Today, locals vote Revivals ‘Best Furniture Store’ because of its affordable collection of trend-right items. A leader in retail,  Revivals is the only thrift shop in America to feature its own brand of new furniture, lighting, rugs, and accessories. Shoppers at Revivals can choose from brand new furniture and accessories while mixing their new style with thrift store finds from the decade of their choice. 

“We saw a real need in the valley for merchandise that was stylish, had good quality and was affordable,” adds Dane Koch, director of retail. 

Revivals offers home furnishing from more than 50 vendors—including brand names such as Ashley, Diamond, and Coaster—but much of its inventory is custom-made for the store, and all of its selections fall under Revivals’ Mode label. While the Palm Springs shop focuses on all things midcentury modern, the Cathedral City branch trades on value, and the Palm Desert outlets’ assortment is more traditional in style. 

About Revivals Stores  

Revivals has three locations: Palm Springs, Cathedral City, and Palm Desert.  The stores are staffed by 180 volunteers who support the mission of Desert AIDS Project (DAP), enabling Revivals to make an annual $1 million contribution to DAP. DAP has earned a national reputation as one of the most comprehensive HIV/AIDS service providers in the United States. Revivals employees and dedicated volunteers create a unique retail experience for the 29,000 people who shop the stores each month looking for a unique thrift store find while shopping brand new furniture and accessories. “There’s an excitement in our stores that you don’t feel at traditional retailers.  Part of that is the thrill of the hunt, but there’s something else happening and I think that is connection to community.  Our volunteers have created a unique community of neighbors helping neighbors inside Revivals three store locations.  They know we are selling product with a purpose,” says Director of Brand Marketing, Steven Henke. 

Greater Palm Springs residents know and love Revivals Stores and have voted it as Best Resale \ Thrift \ Furniture \ Consignment\ or Vintage Clothing Store in four local reader contests this year.   Revivals Stores won Best Furniture Store and Best Consignment / Resale Store in Desert Sun’s 2019 Ultimate Pride Contest, Best Consignment / Resale Store in Desert Magazine’s 2019 Best of the Valley, Best Thrift Store in CV Independents 2019 Best of Coachella Valley Contest, Best Thrift Store in GED Magazines 2019 Out Awards Contest, and Best Consignment / Best Thrift Store and Best Vintage Clothing Store in Palm Springs Life’s 2018 Best of the Best Contest.  

 
 Visit to learn more: desertaidsproject.org and revivalsstores.com 

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