Thrift stores sales up, donations down

With the winter visitors back, merchandise is flying out the door faster than the Highlands County Habitat for Humanity store can get it in, according to Sarah Pallone, director of development and communications.

"Our store is pretty empty," she said on Friday. "We're trying to restock the store. We definitely have the customers. It's a good problem to have."

Sales are up, due to the influx of snowbirds wanting to buy or replace items for their homes, she said.

Habitat is looking for furniture, appliances, home décor, building supplies, electronics, holiday decorations and sporting goods.

"The main things are the furniture and appliances," Pallone said. "We're more than happy to come and pick them up."

Executive Director John Hawthorne said getting its thrift store resupplied is difficult in these economic times with competition from other thrift stores.

"Sometimes they can pay a little for the merchandise," he said. "We don't do that. Some people would rather get something than nothing."

The Habitat store will be getting a facelift, with the help of a façade grant that was approved on Monday by the Community Redevelopment Agency.

At a price of $4,200, Habitat will apply new paint, repair its building façade and tint the store windows. At 30 percent, the façade grant was approved for $1,260.

The store's winter hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The store is located at 159 S. Commerce Ave., Sebring.

For donations call (863) 385-7111.

Hawthorne said they also need volunteers to work on the Mason Ridge development. Volunteers can come with or without experience, he said.

"They don't need to have a lot of construction experience," he said. "Just coordination so they don't hurt their fingers."

"We will train them," said Pallone. "We just need a willing spirit."

Nu-Hope

Susan Lord has been a volunteer at Nu-Hope for 10 years, and now comes in through the South Florida Community College's RSVP. That stands for Retired Senior Volunteer Program, she said on Friday.

The influx of snowbirds hasn't affected them as much.

They have a lot of regular customers, she said.

"We're going through quite a bit (of merchandise)," she said. "It's still a little slow. There are a few (snowbirds) coming down, but it will pick up in a month or two.

The Sebring Nu-Hope store is located at 5153 U.S. 27 S., across from the Raceway Gas Station. Nu-Hope has another thrift store located at 103 S. Main Ave., in Lake Placid.

They accept any donation as long as it is in good shape, Lord said.

The Nu-Hope thrift stores sell everything from clothing to home décor to furniture and electronics.

Salvation Army

Donations at the Salvation Army thrift store are a little sluggish, although sales are good, according to Maj. Bruce Stefanik.

"We're doing pretty good," he said Friday. "Not as good as in the past because donations are down. With the economy, people try to get things fixed because they can't afford to buy new.

"We're doing well enough so as not to hurt us from doing work in the community."

The money from what they sell goes back into the community for its social services, he said.

"As our winter friends came back the sales have increased a little bit and the donations have increased a little bit, as they replace things," he said. "The clothing is coming in good and the bric-a-brac, but what's slow coming in is the furniture and stuff.

"We're always looking for more donations. We have a drive-thru drop off."

The Salvation Army also has pick-up service, simply make an appointment, he said.

They'll take broken appliances as well.

"If it's a minor repair, we can fix it and resell it," he said. "We have people who can do that."

The Salvation Army Thrift Store is located next to its offices at 3135 Kenilworth Blvd., Sebring and is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.