Moving 10,000-square-feet of retail space is a logistical nightmare waiting to happen. But a bevy of volunteers is making the Women's Resource Center Thrift Store's relocation this week much easier.
Since they closed their doors Friday on their Garfield location after ten years in that shopping center, volunteers have been helping relocate racks, hangers and merchandise in the new facility. Approximately the same size as the old location, though with the space better organized, the new store is situated on U.S. 31 South near Pizza Hut.
"This would not be possible without the volunteers," said store manager Carol Rose, who has been with the organization 20 years. "Everyone here is a volunteer, even the staff, and we're here as long as it takes. The jail crew has been excellent."
Scheduling the move over spring break allowed long-time volunteer Mary Paterson to help out nearly full time. A special education assistant at Blair Elementary School, Paterson has been volunteering at the Thrift Shop for 20 years. She also is a devoted shopper there and, most days, all her clothes from head to toe come from there.
"I volunteer here because it is such a good community organization, all the proceeds go to help women and children," she said. "It makes me feel like I'm helping."
Much of the merchandise at the old store was cleaned out by shoppers eager to grab bargains: 50 percent off until Friday, when it was fill a bag for $1. To stock the shelves and racks with clothing, housewares, shoes and other items, not to mention the furniture, the thrift shop has been earmarking donations received at the old store for the new store.
When the doors open on Monday, April 10, with what Rose calls a "soft" opening, the thrift store will be back in business.
"We mostly sold everything we could, we emptied it out," noted Rose of the Garfield location, adding of the new store: "Donations have already started here and we actually didn't want them yet until Monday, but it's working out."
The Women's Resource Center Thrift Store began after a successful yard sale of extra donations to the shelter got people thinking. The profit they turned from that inspired them to start a small thrift store on Woodmere approximately 25 years ago. Now all profits made by the store help fund Women's Resource Center programs.
"Funding the shelter is a huge part of what we do," said Rose, adding that the store has become more than just a store over the years, loaning clothes to the Old Town Playhouse and holding Prom Nights at retirement homes.
Their main mission is to serve women and children in need. They do this through vouchers and also by offering women in transition from domestic violence a safe place to shop.
The vouchers are available for anyone who asks, no income or other checks are required to receive one. They can be used for clothing or other items and the organization grants $8,000-10,000 in vouchers a month.
For women healing in the shelter and putting their lives back together, shopping and furnishing a new place to live can sometimes be overwhelming.
"For some of these fearful women, the next step is to shop here, it's a safe place to go," said Rose.