Hospice Hope Chest

Hospice Hope Chest is a nonprofit resale shop on North Donnelly Street, staffed by volunteers from Women For Hospice and run to benefit Cornerstone Hospice’s patient care programs in Lake County. The shop sells donated furniture, collectibles, household goods, jewelry, and artwork, and describes itself as an upscale resale store, a description reviewers largely back up, several noting the shop feels closer to a small boutique than a typical charity thrift store, with a more curated, better organized selection than the category usually implies.

Prices consistently come up as a highlight in reviews, with shoppers describing the store as reasonably priced and a good place to find second hand items without the higher markups seen at some other resale shops in the area. That reputation for value, combined with the store’s location right in the middle of Mount Dora’s main shopping district, has made Hospice Hope Chest a regular stop for locals who treat thrifting as a routine part of shopping downtown rather than an occasional novelty, checking in periodically as donated inventory turns over.

Because everything in the store arrives as a donation, inventory changes constantly and unpredictably, which is part of the appeal for regular customers who enjoy the treasure hunt aspect of not knowing what will be on the shelves from one visit to the next. The volunteer run model also means proceeds go directly back into the community through Cornerstone Hospice, giving shoppers a straightforward reason to choose the store over a for profit resale shop when the merchandise is comparable, a detail that comes up often in how locals describe why they support the shop specifically.

Sitting directly across from Temptations of Mount Dora at the corner of Third Avenue and Donnelly Street, Hospice Hope Chest occupies one of the more visible corners in downtown Mount Dora, impossible to miss on a walk through the main shopping blocks. Its closed Monday schedule is worth noting for anyone planning a visit around the start of the week, but Tuesday through Saturday it keeps regular daytime hours that align well with the rest of downtown’s retail schedule. For visitors interested in secondhand shopping with a charitable purpose behind it, and for locals who treat it as a regular stop on their downtown rounds, Hospice Hope Chest fills a niche none of the antique malls or boutiques nearby quite replicate.

Because the store is staffed entirely by volunteers rather than paid employees, the atmosphere tends to feel more like a community effort than a typical retail transaction, something regulars mention as part of why they enjoy shopping there beyond simply finding a good deal. The store also serves as a quiet but steady reminder of the hospice services operating in the background of everyday life in Lake County, giving an otherwise ordinary shopping trip a small but genuine charitable purpose.