Thrift Shop looking for more shoppers

February 2, 2012

Nappanee United Methodist Church member and volunteers (from left) Phyllis Walters, Lois Cook and Pat Stackhouse sort, screen and prepare items for sale. Approximately 35 to 40 volunteers work 245 to 250 hours a month at the task. Photo by Angel Perkins

NAPPANEE — A local thrift shop is “bursting at the seams” and volunteers of the mission hope for more customers to take advantage of the quality items offered there at unheard of prices.
Right now the abundance filling the two rooms at the Nappanee United Methodist Church’s Thrift Shop is primarily winter items, though the shop sells books, magazines, shoes, housewares, children’s items, toys, hats, jewelry, home decor, linens and more — even egg cartons for a penny — and including clothing for men, women and children from newborn to adults size 3X.
And the nearly 250 consigners continue to bring things in. “We have to limit the orders (coming in) to 20 items (per consigner) per week,” said volunteer Beth Huff. “We take things in Wednesdays and volunteers price and inventory them. We get about 20 orders and it may take from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to get three orders done.”
“We’re just not equipped to store items,” said Huff’s mother and shop committee chair Phyllis Walters. “We have consigners from Mishawaka, Elkhart, Wakarusa, Bremen, Etna Green … all over.”
Huff added that 35 to 40 volunteers work 245 to 250 hours a month sorting out items that don’t meet quality standards (though a few of them have been known to replace a button or two on occasion) — or that have questionable sayings on them — and preparing or rotating items.
The ladies explained that consigners receive 50 percent of the sale price (paid out once a month) which often times is given right back to the shop because they’ve bought other items or donated it to the cause. The shop does not take large furniture items and accepts local checks and cash for transactions and needless to say, is not looking for any more consigners.
From pajamas and mittens to formals and suits, name brand items boast regular sale prices more affordable than the popular Goodwill or Salvation Army stores. Women’s boots run about $4 and shoes around $3. Nice winter coats run from $8 to $10.
“We had a real nice men’s leather coat and it was priced at $15 or $20,” Walters said. “It went right out the door. Children’s winter items go right out the minute we put them up because the prices are so reasonable.”
A hardly-worn pair of women’s Faded Glory blue jeans can be found for $1.50 in the half-price room and another pair for $3 in the full price room.
“We hold the item for 90 days and then move it to the half-price room for 30 days,” explained Huff, “the last two weeks of which we host a ‘bag sale;’ fill a grocery bag for $1.”
Items that still aren’t sold are donated to Goodwill. Local victims of unfortunate circumstance can also receive items at no cost through vouchers given by Open Door, a local charity mission — one of eight to 10 the church is regularly involved in and which include Faith Missions in Elkhart and South Bend, and Bibles in School. Area elementary schools also hold open accounts to meet the various immediate needs of the local students.
“Originally we sent unsold items to the Methodist Church in Africa,” Huff said. “There is a pastor school there and we’d haul the stuff to Marion, collect enough to fill a cargo truck, and then send them on.” She said that the practice was stopped when Goodwill sent out a plea to obtain more items.
Huff remembered visiting in Africa where the clothes ended up for distribution to the locals. “It was about four or five years ago and I was in the warehouse sorting and I saw a tag with Sally Guard’s handwriting on it,” she said. “It was neat to see something you know came from Nappanee, there.”
Volunteers try to keep the shop stocked with seasonal items and in March, the shop will be taking in more lightweight clothing items and short sleeves. Bathing suits and sandals will be accepted closer to May. Also planned for the shop in the near future: a style show where congregation volunteers will show off (on a catwalk) what can be purchased at the shop during the mother-daughter banquet held this St. Patrick’s Day.
Walters gave some history on the church’s Thrift Shop initiative. “In 1940 we held two bazaars a year,” she said, “and in ‘63 we decided to add to it. We started to have it a couple days a week in the winter and from 1963 to 1988 it was in three different places.” She said the permanent location came with the construction of the church in 1988.
The Nappanee United Methodist Church Thrift Shop is located at 301 E. Market St., and is open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the summer); Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. To learn more call 574-773-2985.