SA Thrift Store needs more customers

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

While the street reconstruction project on South Washington Street has not been kind to a number of businesses and organizations located along that portion of the street, one of those especially hurting is the Salvation Army Thrift Store.

Lt. Josh Morales, local Salvation Army commander, said the thrift store is still accessible from Fox Road, but while donations have been coming in (although diminished) it’s customers that are needed for the store.

“We’ve had a steady flow of donations, but they’re not going out,” he said, noting that clothing and other items are piling up at the thrift store because the lack of customers mean fewer items are being sold.

“Over the last three months, we’re 30 percent down from a year ago, and that’s not good, since we were blowing away the (year ago) numbers before construction began in April,” Morales said.

The construction has definitely affected an organization that has received great support from the community over the years, Lt. Morales acknowledged.

“The community is very supportive of the Salvation Army,” he said. “I’ve been here almost six months and I’ve been blown away by the generosity and support.”

Unfortunately, the Thrift Store’s woes also affect the Salvation Army’s overall bottom line, since any money earned at the thrift store, over and above operating costs, provides operating money for the local Salvation Army as a whole. With revenues down, that means fewer people will receive assistance from the non-profit entity unless the situation can be turned around.

To bring more people in the door, Morales said the thrift store is providing some incentives to customers. With school just weeks away for local students, the thrift store is offering great back-to-school deals on clothing and school supplies.

“We have tons of clothing, as well as some school supplies,” Lt. Morales said, adding that only good quality clothing items donated to the Salvation Army are sold in the thrift store.

For families with preschool children, there are also some vintage Fisher Price toys available right now, he said.

The Salvation Army also has a deal going with Westwood Car Wash to provide thrift store customers with an additional $1 off a car wash for those who brave the street construction to visit the Salvation Army store.

Right now, access to the thrift store is fairly easy from Fox Road — much more convenient than getting further north to Schlotzsky’s/Shell or Family Health Care of Northwest Ohio, for example, where street work is literally creating roadblocks for customers.

For more information on specials, including the thrift store’s Wacky Wednesday specials, area residents can access the store’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/vwsathrift.