Brown Elephant's Lake View location is moving to Northalsted and already accepting donations.

Howard Brown Health, the largest LGBTQ+ health center in the midwest, operates three Brown Elephant resale shops in the Chicagoland area to help fund its programs.

The Lakeview Brown Elephant, 3020 N. Lincoln Ave., officially closed March 24 after about a decade in the neighborhood. The new Northalsted location will be located at 812 W. Belmont Ave. The opening date hasn't been announced yet, said store manager Matt Talaga.

"Our lease was up at the old location and we saw it as an opportunity to return to Northalsted, because people have been asking about that for years," Talaga said.

There was a Brown Elephant shop at North Halsted Street and West Waveland Avenue. The new shop will be bigger than the former Lake View location, and will be decorated with a disco theme. It has its own designated drop-off station in the back to make it easier for people to donate items, Talaga noted.

All of the money that's spent at Brown Elephant goes directly to patient care at Howard Brown Health Clinics. The Northalsted/Lake View shop also has a partnership with Broadway Youth Center that allows young LGBTQ+ people experiencing homelessness to shop at the store with free vouchers.

"The coolest part about Brown Elephant is that we're a community-first organization and we try to create a safe, affirming space for everybody to come in and feel comfortable while they're shopping," Talaga said.

The new store is already accepting donations to help stock its shelves. People can drop off clothing, furniture and other items at the shop from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week, according to its website. Brown Elephant also offers a furniture pickup service for those who want to donate larger pieces.

There are two other Brown Elephant shops in the Chicagoland area, in Andersonville at 5404 N. Clark St. and in Oak Park at 217 Harrison St. See Website Link Here .