WESTBROOK — When Cornelia’s Closet reopens next month, it’ll offer more than just clothes.

The Westbrook Community Center thrift shop, which will be reopened by the second week of March, will have coffee and muffins for sale. There will also be new clothing and home items available and more volunteer opportunities for residents.

The thrift shop, which is named after Cornelia Warren of the Cornelia Warren Foundation, is moving into the space formerly occupied by the Starlight Cafe, which closed in November. The space is being renovated so half can be used to sell clothing and the other half can be used as the cafe.

“We want it to the right vibe when people walk in,” said Community Services Director Maria Dorn.

Dorn said the space still needs more cleaning, painting and other renovations done before it can open. When it opens,she said, she envisions a space where people can shop as well as grab a coffee and meet with friends.

Cornelia’s Closet, which was located in a small, window-less room in the middle of the building, closed at the end of January so the move could take place. The new space is roughly double the size and has a lot of natural light.

The new thrift shop will also be easier to access for people coming to the community center.

“We wanted a location that was more accessible to the parking lot,” Dorn said.

Dorn said she hopes more people will come to the thrift shop once it reopens.

“We want more visibility and we want more options because it’s so affordable,” she said.

Most of the clothing costs under $10, but Dorn said there will be some more costly items added. The goal, though, which has always been the intent of the store, is to offer low-cost items to people who need them.

The proceeds from the thrift shop all go back into the community center and help with maintenance costs. All the items for sale are donated and the store is run entirely by volunteers.

Moving Cornelia’s Closet to a bigger space and reopening the cafe will require bringing on more volunteers, Dorn said.

“It’s a unique opportunity to expand volunteer opportunities for people who need them,” she said.

While many of the current volunteers view the time as a social opportunity, Dorn said she’d like to have more volunteers who will gain skills from working at Cornelia’s Closet.

“We’d like to bring in volunteers who need the experience for job readiness or who want face-to-face English language experience,” she said.

The hope, Dorn said, is that Cornelia’s Closet attracts more residents, whether as customers or volunteers, to the community center. She said she wants it to be something that “appeals to people who may not otherwise come here.”

Kate Gardner can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 125 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @katevgardner.

Westbrook Community Services Director Maria Dorn is working to reopen the community center’s thrift shop in a larger, brighter space within the building.

Cornelia’s Closet, the thrift shop at Westbrook Community Center, is moving into the space formerly occupied by Starlight Cafe after having been in a small, window-less room in the middle of the building for six years.