Christ Child Opportunity Shop

The Experience

The Christ Child Opportunity Shop opened on Wisconsin Avenue in 1933 — the same year as Martin’s Tavern — and has been staffed entirely by volunteers ever since. The parent organization, the Christ Child Society of Washington DC, was founded in 1887 by Mary Virginia Merrick, a woman who suffered a spinal injury as a teenager and spent the rest of her life organizing resources for children living in poverty. All proceeds from the shop fund three programs serving over 10,000 DC children and families annually: a newborn layette program for low-income families, after-school programs for girls in Ward 8, and tutoring and literacy initiatives.

The shop itself bears no resemblance to a typical thrift store. This is a high-end consignment operation spread across two floors and roughly six rooms, stocked with fine jewelry, antiques, sterling silver, crystal, china, decorative arts, Asian collectibles, designer handbags, and vintage costume jewelry. Fodor’s gives it a Fodor’s Choice designation. Clothing, appliances, and books are not accepted — what’s here has been vetted, priced by people who know what they have, and arranged with some care.

The jewelry floor alone justifies the visit. The inventory rotates weekly as new consignments arrive, which means repeat visits consistently turn up something different. The price range is genuinely wide — a dollar gets you something, and significant pieces can run into the thousands.

Know Before You Go

The shop is closed Monday and Tuesday — hours are Wednesday through Saturday noon to 5pm, Sunday noon to 4pm. New inventory arrives weekly, so a visit one month is not the same as a visit the next. All sales are final. If you have pieces to consign, items valued under $50 are accepted as donations; above that threshold, consignors receive 50–60% of the sale price. The online shop at opshopdc.com lists current inventory and accepts purchases for those who can’t visit in person.