About two months ago, Ohio State University sophomore Darcy Cavanagh stumbled into a remote corner in the basement of Converse Hall. Since then, he has accumulated unique artwork, retro Ohio State gear and at least three calculators.

The hidden gem where Cavanagh got his spoils? Buckeye Bargains, a small campus thrift store run by the University Women’s Club of Ohio State.

A steady morning crowd joined Cavanagh on his latest thrifting adventure in late February, with customers trickling in and out of the store, some lingering. And yet, volunteers get the sense that many in the campus community are unaware of the tucked-away treasure trove.

“Buckeye Bargains started in 1966, and yet most of the people on the OSU campus don’t know anything about this place," said Mary Gustafson, a member of the University Women’s Club and co-chairwoman for the thrift store.

A soundtrack of Ohio State Marching Band tunes greeted shoppers as they made their way into Buckeye Bargains, situated in a room a bit larger than a two-car garage where shelves and tables are stocked with clothing, shoes, electronics, jewelry, dishes, glassware, decorations and general knickknacks.

Over the years, the store has built an endowed scholarship fund of nearly $1 million, Gustafson said. The University Women's Club has no overhead costs for the store because Ohio State donates the space.

The women started the thrift shop in 1966 with students in mind — either to help them set up a home away from home, or for international students who might find themselves in need of a winter coat or gloves, said volunteer Pam Dobies.

The store has a variety of shoppers, but most of its regular customers tend to be university employees who work nearby, she said.

“The student population turns over so frequently. That’s who we’d really like to reach on a regular basis, but it’s not at all uncommon for us to have a student come in and say, ‘Oh, I’m graduating in June, and I’ve never heard of you before,’” Dobies said.

Cavanagh often brings a group of friends with him to Buckeye Bargains, he said, "but I don't think enough people know about it."

Donna Johnston of Gahanna was buying a pair of shoes and some items for friends going through a hard time after a house fire. But those were just the most-recent purchases she’s made at the thrift store. Over the years, she's bought clothes, dishes and even a sewing machine there.

Johnston and her granddaughter make regular trips to Buckeye Bargains and have found great items, including a leather bomber jacket.

However, “the scholarship that this provides is what draws us here, too,” Johnston said.

Buckeye Bargains receives donations from members of the Women’s Club and the community, estate sales, campus lost-and-founds and, to the delight of volunteers and shoppers alike, the Ohio State Office of Trademark & Licensing Services. The office donates merchandise samples, which means the thrift store can offer new, often one-of-a-kind Ohio State items that almost certainly beat competitors' prices.

On tables in the middle of the store are carefully curated displays of seasonal merchandise, including a green-themed St. Patrick’s Day table of leprechaun decorations, glass Irish coffee mugs and, for the not-so-subtle, light-up “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” pins. Nearby was a Mardi Gras table covered in green, purple and gold beads and a spring-break table with lawn chairs, colorful patio drinkware, beach hats and beach reads. And, of course, one corner was devoted to everything Ohio State: phone cases, keyboards, garden flags, license plates, candles, clocks, wine glasses and even a couple of delicate garters with Block O's.

“They really like to think of themselves as a boutique thrift store,” Gustafson said of the store's volunteers.

And just like shoppers, volunteers tend to find items they can’t live without, said Antoinette Beynen, who has volunteered at the store for 11 years.

“For those of us who work here, our biggest problem is to keep our purses closed," she said.

Buckeye Bargains is in the basement in the northwest corner of Converse Hall, 2121 Tuttle Park Place, and is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each Wednesday during spring and autumn semesters when classes are in session.

jsmola@dispatch.com

@jennsmola