Big Blue Bargains was approved by the Swampscott School Committee on Thursday, February 5 to use Clarke Elementary School as its shop for another year.

Big Blue Bargains is a volunteer-run non-profit thrift store that reopened under its current leadership in February 2025 in the Clarke School after being closed for five years. Previously, Big Blue Bargains used 1680-square-feet of the school’s portable property, which is connected to the main building. This year, they are adding more space, with two classrooms on the second floor of the main school building.

Big Blue Bargains will be responsible for maintenance and cleaning of the space it will use.

Despite voting to approve the occupancy, School Committee members raised concerns about the potential of people accessing other parts of the building due to doors being unlocked for people to shop at Big Blue Bargains. The Swampscott Recreation Department has an agreement to use the rest of the building for a year.

School Committee Member John Giantis asked if there are interior cameras at the former school. Swampscott Public Schools Facilities Director Max Kasper said there are not. Multiple members of the committee brought up the possibility that someone could enter the building with the intention of squatting.

“It’s not the most secure building in the world,” said School Committee Chair Glenn Paster.

Kasper, however, said the occupancy agreement was discussed with legal counsel at length.

“I don’t think that relatively the concern here is even close to what we deal with here at the high school or the middle school with people visiting those buildings,” said Kasper. “Big Blue Bargains is a staffed place, it’s not like people come into an occupied area.”

After deliberation, the committee voted to approve the occupancy agreement, noting that it’s for one year and can be changed next year if needed.