Charity shop Brotherhood of St. Laurence. Many local charitable organisations, both religious and secular, run opportunity shops. Common among these are missions and animal shelters. In the United States, major national charity thrift shop operators include Goodwill Industries, Value Village/Savers, Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, and ReStore (operated by Habitat for Humanity). Regional operators include Deseret Industries in the Western United States, and those run by Bethesda Lutheran Communities in the Upper Midwest. Many local charitable organizations, both religious and secular, operate thrift stores. Common among these are missions, children's homes, homeless shelters, and animal shelters. In addition, some
Mama shop were frequented by children who would stop at the stores to browse through thrift comics, inexpensive sweets and cheap stationery. However, the resettlement caused a weakening in what had been a strong sense of community established back in the village, and many mama shops witnessed a loss in an otherwise frequent and loyal patronage. With the passing of time and increasing modernization, rising competition from air-conditioned mini-marts and upbeat convenience chain stores also dealt a blow to the survival of many traditional mama shops. Mama shop A mama shop or mamak shop (from Tamil மாமா "māmā", meaning "uncle" or "elder")