Hospice Halifax comes back for an Encore 

Two months after the Halifax thrift store Encore re-branded and moved locations, the store has been busy with new customers, in support of a local hospice facility. 

Encore was previously called Hospice Thrift Store, and was located in Lower Sackville. 

On Feb. 4, snow fell lightly onto the concrete outside of Encore, visible through the Richmond Yards storefront’s floor-to-ceiling window. Inside, a Chappell Roan song played over the speakers, as rows of clothing were displayed for shoppers to sort through. In the back, a small section dedicated to homewares was piled high with mismatched objects. Puzzles are stacked on a shelf next to a bunny egg cup, beside a display of CDs. 

At the front of the store stood Grace Strange, who has been working at Encore for two years. Her pride at the store’s growth is apparent in her wide smile. 

Strange says the goal of the rebranding was to reach more customers, a move she says has been successful. 

“We ended up moving downtown just because it’s a better spot for us traffic-wise, and it’s more central to a lot of the population,” said Strange, in an in-person interview with The Signal at the new Encore location on Feb. 4. 

The new store is located inside the Richmond Yards Courtyard on King Street and is open daily. 

Encore supports Hospice Halifax, a free end of life service established in 2019 in the city’s South End. They provide 10 beds for those who fit their requirements, including having a life expectancy of less than three months, and having care needs that cannot be met at home. 

Hospice Halifax gets around half of their funding through a partnership with Nova Scotia Health, but the rest of the funding comes from donations and Encore. 

Strange said people may feel drawn to Encore because it benefits others. 

“It’s net-positive retail work, which is really fun,” said Strange. “The funds are going towards hospice and it’s a great organization.” 

Victoria Morgan attended the opening of Encore in December of 2025. 

“Everyone was just so happy and excited,” said Morgan, describing the event on a phone call with The Signal. 

Morgan appreciated the layout of Encore, in comparison to other thrift stores. 

“I get really overwhelmed at thrift stores a lot of the time, and this was so well organized and really well curated,” said Morgan. 

The name of the store was born from a desire for new beginnings. 

“We decided to rebrand to Encore to really give it a fresh start, and to talk about that second act,” said Jocelyn Hamilton, the executive director at Hospice Halifax on a video call with The Signal. 

The hospice service also provides grief support for those who have lost a loved one. 

“We help to alleviate a lot of the stress and anxiety that are happening, both for patients and their families. We get them back to a position where they are a family member or a friend, and not a caregiver,” said Hamilton.