When you step through the doors of Loved Twice Thrift Boutique in Gurnee, you notice there’s something different about this store. Whether the clean and organized space, the encouraging Christian music playing throughout the store, or a volunteer from one of our 80 partner churches greeting you cheerfully, you’ll feel a sense of belonging. You’re in the right place. 

This isn’t just any thrift store. The staff and volunteers go to great lengths to ensure each item is handled with care–clean, tidy, and arranged “just so.” You’ll quickly learn that the care they put into the set-up and arrangement of the store is reflected in the care they place in every interaction with their customers.

The store itself is arranged in such a way that it’s convenient to find that “one thing” you’re looking for–or discover what you didn’t know you needed.

First, you’ll pass by the seasonal display, followed by glassware and themed decor. Moving further into the store,  you’ll find carefully arranged jewelry, scarves, and handbags. Children’s books and toys invite families to linger, while rows of clothing and housewares lead you toward the back, where furniture is arranged in cozy little living-room vignettes. Each section is tidy and cared for, each item honored.

Above the checkout counter, a sign reminds you what this place is about: the mission of Love INC of Lake County, to mobilize local churches to transform lives and communities In the Name of Christ. A wall of photos from our partner churches stretches across the store, a visual testament that this is more than shopping—it’s community. And if you happen to arrive at 10 a.m., you’ll find staff, volunteers, and sometimes customers pausing to pray together when the doors open.

“People call this the ‘Cheers’ of thrift stores,” says Lynn, the boutique’s manager. “Folks want to share their stories, and we make space for that. Everyone feels seen.”

The Beginning of Something Bigger

Loved Twice opened in 2017 after years of dreaming within Love INC of Lake County. Originally intended as a steady revenue stream for the ministry, the boutique quickly grew into a ministry all its own. 

As with each Love INC endeavor, the local church was integral to making this community resource available. From the very start, the Church within the Lake County region has contributed through mobilizing their congregants to donate time, funds, and items to get the store off the ground. 

All of this came as church partners saw a great need within the community and learned that the Love INC team often had to decline well-meaning donations that didn’t fit their specific needs. “We wanted to say yes to people’s generosity,” Lynn explains. “Now we can. The store allows us to repurpose items, give donors an outlet for their giving, and give shoppers the dignity of choosing their own things.”

This year, Loved Twice celebrated its eighth anniversary. Meanwhile, Love INC has been serving Lake County for over 30 years, mobilizing local churches to serve families with resources, relationships, and hope.

Meeting Needs With Dignity

On the surface, Loved Twice is a thrift boutique offering affordable clothing, furniture, and household items. But beneath the shelves and racks are stories of God’s timing.

One week, a daycare worker rushed in before her shift, hoping to find a stroller. She was overjoyed to discover a double stroller on the half-price rack—just in time for twins arriving at the daycare.

Another day, a young couple new to town, with two little ones and another baby on the way, found a recently donated double stroller that fit their family perfectly. “These donations come at just the right moment,” Jill, the assistant manager, says. “We see it again and again.”

Jill shares weekly reflections with the Love INC staff and they are filled with what she calls “God sightings.” Recently, two different customers bought luggage specifically for foster children so the children could have their own bags rather than carrying belongings in trash bags. A woman new to the community came in to donate a few items, only to be moved by the mission enough that she determined she’d be back with more items and to shop in support of the cause. Another shopper left touched after staff offered to pray with her during a difficult season of divorce.

Sometimes the blessing flows outward: a crew of volunteers recently delivered furniture to Holly*, a formerly homeless neighbor moving into her first apartment. She later sent a handwritten note: “Thanks for everything and God bless you and everyone that works so hard helping others less fortunate. I’ve been the one to give all my life and it’s hard to need help. Thank you for your kind hearts.”

Every item, every prayer, every conversation becomes part of a bigger story.

The Volunteers Behind the Scenes

Walk into Loved Twice any day, and you’ll see volunteers from our partner churches everywhere: greeting, straightening, sorting, ringing up purchases, or simply sitting near the door to offer a kind word. But much of the magic happens before the store even opens.

“Do you know the system it takes to keep the merchandise flowing?” Jill asks. “Each step is as critical as the next.” Devoted warehouse volunteers sort and price donations, hang clothing, gather shoes and lamps, and load trucks. On Tuesdays, an all-day crew cleans and refinishes furniture, stages the front table, and prepares every detail so the store looks “picture perfect” when doors open Wednesday. Throughout the week, others replenish shelves, dust, sweep, clean bathrooms, and handle the rush of shoppers seeking new arrivals.

It’s an orchestra of generosity, powered almost entirely by volunteers from our partner churches. Around 45 people serve in a typical week, swelling to 60 or more during busy seasons. Shifts are just 3–4 hours, but as Lynn puts it, “Volunteers give everything they have during that time. They want to be here. They make this place run.”

The roles vary: some are greeters, others float between departments, some ring the register, while still others provide the “muscle” to move furniture. A few come simply to be available, stepping in wherever they’re needed.

One volunteer, Betty, spends 20–30 hours a week at the store. “She’s such a blessing. She is so cheerful and does everything … except cashier!” Jill said.

Whether giving two hours or 20, volunteers say the same thing: this place feels like family.

It’s Not Shopping … It’s Community

For many customers, Loved Twice is more than a store—it’s therapy. “People tell us, ‘I love coming here, this is my happy place,’” Jill shares. Shoppers comment on the cleanliness, the organization, the Christian music playing in the background, the dignity of the space. One review puts it simply: “You feel cared for here. It’s not just shopping, it’s community.”

Some customers become donors, bringing back items once they’ve been blessed with something new. Others become volunteers, joining the cycle of generosity that sustains the store.

And then there are those who come for more than a bargain. Morning prayer times often include shoppers who’ve walked in seeking spiritual encouragement. Volunteers recount moments when customers ask for prayer at checkout and leave knowing they’ve been seen, loved, and lifted to God.

Connected to Something Larger

Every purchase at Loved Twice directly supports the ministries of Love INC of Lake County. Through the revenue of the store and the generosity it unleashes, Love INC mobilizes hundreds of volunteers from more than 80 churches to serve nearly 450 families each year. Families receive furniture, household goods, and access to life-skills classes designed to help them grow in stability and relationships.

“It’s the community serving the community,” Lynn says. “Loved Twice is the visible front door, but behind it is a network of churches, donors, and volunteers working together to transform lives.”

You Can Be a Part of This Outreach

Loved Twice is always looking for more volunteers, especially during weekday hours when many current team members are unavailable. Needs range from greeters to organizers, cashiers to furniture movers. Shifts are just 2–4 hours, weekly or bi-weekly, and training is provided. 

Anyone is welcome! Young adults, stay-at-home parents, those who work part-time and are available during school hours … if you fit any one of these roles, or simply have the availability, you are welcome! There is large need for bilingual volunteers, as well.

“Come be part of the Loved Twice family,” Jill says. “Your time not only keeps the store running, but it transforms lives with every item, every prayer, and every smile.”

As a volunteer working alongside others dedicated to serving the community, you will have the opportunity to build new and lasting friendships from churches across the county, like other Love INC volunteers who have recently shared their stories with us.

If volunteering is not possible during this season of your life, another way to support is simply to shop. Every purchase funds Love INC’s ministries and extends the cycle of generosity.

More Than a Store

Eight years in, Loved Twice Boutique is proof that God can use everyday items—clothing, dishes, strollers, even mismatched glassware—to bring extraordinary impact. Step through the doors, and you’ll find more than a thrift shop. You’ll find a place where neighbors become friends, needs meet provision, and God’s presence is felt in the simplest acts of care.

Or, as the team likes to say: “God’s grace is over this place.”

To volunteer with the Loved Twice team sign up for the next volunteer orientation.

To donate items to Loved Twice via the Love INC warehouse, click here.

Photo credit: Bella Vie Studio