The Laker’s Closet is something that needs more recognition and praise. For those who do not know of the Lakers Closet, it is like a food pantry, but for clothes. The closet carries mostly business casual clothes for students who need something to wear for an interview. However, there are also casual clothing options such as t-shirts and jeans. 

Mercury Bowen (they/them), the coordinator of the Laker’s Closet, talks about the location and accessibility of the Closet. To gain access to the closet, all you need to do is contact Mercury and you will be able to access the closet to grab whatever you need. You can either: 

• Go to Mercury’s Office in the Luther Student Center room 424 

• Send an email to Mercury Bowen at [email protected]. 

• Contact the closet via the email address [email protected] 

The next key point to the closet that Mercury highlighted was the purpose of the Lakers Closet. Mercury stated that, “the Lakers Closet is there for students who need or want clothing and if students are needing clothes for any reason, I encourage them to check out the closet”. If there is something in particular you are looking for that is not in the closet, there is a possibility for outsourcing from other charity shops.  

The next thing I discussed with Mercury was the types of donations the closet can take. “We will take donations of pretty regular, standard clothing items, such as shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, jackets, some accessories, like hats, shoes, handbags, purses and backpacks. They said the closet does not accept donations of pajamas, children’s clothes, costumes and seasonal wear due to limited space. The closet is small, so the amount of clothing that can be kept is limited. If you have questions about what you can donate, please contact Mercury Bowen. Also, if you are donating items to the Lakers Closet, make sure that you are not donating items that are damaged, such as fraying, pilling, stains or anything that has been well-worn, as those will not be accepted.  

Mercury shared a key takeaway they learned from their experience in operating the closet. Their most memorable moment was when a student reached out to Mercury, asking for a new shirt, because they had spilled coffee on what they were wearing for a presentation that day. Not all students have the ability to go home and change, as some students may live in a different town, so it is really convenient to also use the closet for things such as that.  

Lastly, if you want to help out with the closet, the best way to do that is by word of mouth. Spread the word and make it heard. That is the best way to inform more students about the closet and encourage them to visit.