Briana Harris / Staff Writer

PELHAM – The Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce celebrated the opening of Steel City Bargain Center on Canyon Park Drive with a ribbon cutting Wednesday, Sept. 7.

The thrift store, which opened Aug. 11, is a part of Steel City Ministries, a faith-based housing and recovery center for men with addictions. Founder and CEO of Steel City Ministries Jonathan Turman said 100 percent of the profits from Steel City Bargain Center, located at 199 Canyon Park Drive, go toward funding for the ministry’s eight-month recovery program.

One of the focuses of the recovery center is to restore relationships, Turman said.

“We know that the best way for them to make it is to be restored in their relationships with their family and friends,” he said.

The program is helping about 50 men right now. The men come to the ministry from prison, by court order and from the streets, Turman said.

“One-hundred percent of the money goes to help them, feed them and clothe them,” Turman said. “Shopping here actually helps somebody.”

Turman said he chose to open the thrift store in Pelham because it’s his hometown and the purpose of the thrift store is different from what the community is used to.

“It’s just cool to be able to bring something here,” he said.

Steel City Ministries also operates a thrift store in Gardendale. Steel City Ministries has a warehouse in downtown Birmingham where all of their donations are sent and the best donations are sent to the thrift stores.