News

Humane Society opening second thrift store

Blue Ridge Humane Society retail manager Terri Thompson, with Rihanna, a 5-year-old French bulldog, who was a rescue.

By Bill Moss, Published: April 19, 2013

The Blue Ridge Humane Society is opening a second thrift store that will sell appliances, power tools, yard implements and building supplies.

The new store, in Brookdale Square at 1034 Greenville Highway, will be a companion store to the Humane Society's successful thrift store on Greenville Highway with a "big boy" array of merchandise.
"We'll have hand tools, power tools, lawn and garden equipment, lawn mowers, some building materials," said Terri Thompson, the Humane Society's director of retail and community outreach. "We might not be able to do plumbing supplies but we'll do some tile and some kind of flooring. We'll probably do some doors, hardware, things like that.
"We'll have overflow furniture from our current store. We're going to move our electronic section and we'll carry stereos and some computer equipment. We probably won't be able to test computers but we'll carry keyboards, mice and monitors, things like that."
The humane society, which operates a shelter for adoptable dogs and cats in Edneyville, hopes to open the store in late April or early May. The new store will be open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
"We found we were turning away large quantities of items," she said. "Our donors are unbelievable. There's so much loyalty with animal lovers. I think this second store is going to allow us to care for more animals but also do more in the community."
Volunteers will provide most of the staffing for the new store. It will also have two paid part-time assistant managers. The organization needs volunteers to test, sort and clean the donated equipment and tools and to work as cashiers. It needs appliances, tools and equipment in good condition.
"We just don't have the time or volunteers to do repairs," she said. "If I'm going to use that floor space. I'd rather have things I can immediately get out on the floor and turn over."
She asked that if people have furniture or used appliances for pick up that they make sure they are in a condition "that you would be OK giving to your neighbors." If it smells like smoke, forget it.
"I would just say we are looking for working appliances, tools, used building materials that are in good shape," she said.
If it had more funding, she said, the Humane Society would restock its community pet food pantry. "If someone is experiencing hard economic times and can't afford to feed their pet, we'll give them free pet food," she said. "The first time it's no questions asked. After that we ask that they bring proof that the animal is spayed or neutered. As long as we have food in the pet pantry we keep that going."