The Care Closet @ NKU celebrated their grand reopening on March 19 after a brief closure for remodeling. 

With its doors now reopened, University Center 142 is yet again ready to welcome students to shop for free clothing for interviews and everyday life. With a space now brightly lit and designed specifically for its purpose, it resembles a small storefront. 

Wednesday’s celebration featured free cake and open shopping for all student attendees. Around 150 students visited the Care Closet from 12-2 p.m. to enjoy the reopening.

Rys Gardner, assistant coordinator and Kentucky College Coach for the Care Closet @ NKU, hopes this renovation will increase the number of students who visit. 

“We’re really excited that it’s so bright in here, and we’re hoping that it’ll bring new visibility to students, so that more students know about the Care Closet and can utilize the resource,” said Gardner.

The NKU location was born out of a Newport parent organization, a nonprofit called the CARE closet. The closet at NKU first opened in 2021. 

Open Monday through Friday from 9:30-3:30 p.m., the closet provides a way for all students to build their own style without having to spend money. All students need to shop is their All Card. 

“The Care Closet is a place for everybody. You don’t have to be any sort of type of student to visit the Care Closet,” Gardner said. 

The Care Closet’s website recommends students shop about two times per year in addition to attending any of their special programming events. There is no limit on how much a student can take, although the recommended amount is about enough to fill one to two shopping bags.

The closet also provides additional services by appointment and by email. This allows students to still have access to these resources outside of normal operating hours and to make requests for clothing that might not actively be in the University Center. This service was available during the closure, with the closet located at a temporary location, and will continue to be available.