On Thursday, August 29th, ASPIRE Villa Madrid’s $0 Store had its grand opening to great acclaim! “I found a toy I really wanted” said Lando, “and it was ZERO dollars.”

The store was EC Liliana’s brainchild after receiving a sizable donation of new toys, clothes, and household items, which inspired her to seek out more inventory - new and gently used. She worked with the kids to set up the store, teaching them about organization, monetary value, the difference between necessities and indulgences and even a little lesson in merchandising. “It was fun organizing all the items,” said Kevin. “It was kind of like a puzzle without the picture.” “I liked folding the t-shirts,” said Jeffrey. “I saw a lady folding t-shirts at Kohl’s one time, so I remembered how to do it.” EC Carole’s only contribution was the name of the store since she threw out her back and had to leave the heavy lifting to the pros! The parents were delighted with the huge assortment of clothes and shoes for the children, the books and toys and various household items from lamps to quilts to electric kettles.

“I found clothes and shoes for all my children and they found toys that they liked,” said Cipriano. “The best things I found were an inflatable mattress, construction gloves, a lunch bag, and a flashlight. ALL NEW!”