Retail Tipsheet: New focus paying off for Bellingham thrift store

A renewed focus on its retail store is paying dividends for a longtime nonprofit in Bellingham.

The Salvation Army Retail Thrift Store at 1515 Birchwood Ave. has spent more than a year going through a revamping to make it feel more like for-profit retail store. Along with cleaning up the showroom and creating new departments, thrift store workers are more discerning about what they accept for donations. The result is a doubling in sales and a much smaller bill for taking things to the dump, said store manager Joe Lallas.

“I feel good right now about the store,” Lallas said. “I think we have set up a system that makes it financially more viable.”

A new look for the store was very much needed, said Erin Willis, the store’s morning supervisor.

“We’ve really worked on giving it a better presentation for customers,” Willis said. “We still have a lot to do, but I like doing this.”

All thrift stores that accept donations have to contend with people bringing in items that should be going to the dump or recycled. The Bellingham Salvation Army was taking a large container of junk to the dump each week. Today the frequency is down to once a month. Even so, the Salvation Army does accept a lot of things, particularly vintage items and clothing. It also takes appliances and electronics in just about any condition; if they can’t be fixed the parts can be recycled.

As for trying to boost sales, the store has been enticing certain groups of customers with significant discounts on already low-priced items. Veterans, senior citizens and students can get 30 percent off donated items.

The boost in sales is important for the organization, which uses the money for a variety of programs for adults and children. It’s a crucial period for the agency, which traditionally relied on World War II veterans. As that population shrinks, some of the next generation are taking up the tradition, but the agency needs to continue to broaden its base, Lallas said.

That’s led to more attention at the Bellingham store, including expanding its departments. One section created just for books is staffed by volunteers.

“We’ve made a lot of friends here,” said Phyllis Kiehn, who arrives in the mornings with her husband, Larry, to keep things in order and help customers find books and magazines. She added that more often people are dropping by the book section on a social basis, chatting with other book enthusiasts.

The big push this time of year is the holiday-themed products, which at times go as fast as they put them on the shelf, Lallas said. Televisions also are popular donations, and the Salvation Army willingly accepts as many as possible because most of them can be recycled.

The store is open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday. The donation area is open during store hours and is now open on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

HOME INTERIOR STORE OPEN ON HANNEGAN

A new flooring and home furniture store is open in the Hannegan Square retail center at 4071 Hannegan Road, just south of Bakerview.

HomePort Interiors has a 2,000-square-foot showroom for flooring products, furniture and home decor items. The store opened in October and is planning a grand opening celebration 2-7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20. The store is geared toward those doing some home remodeling as well as contractors.

HomePort Interiors is open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday. Details can be found on the company’s Facebook page.

NEW TAILOR IN TOWN

Galyna Phillips recently opened Euro Tailor at 1200 Old Fairhaven Parkway, Suite 101. She was trained in Europe to be a tailor and has more than 25 years experience in the clothing alteration business.

Her focus will be alteration and restyling of men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, from fixing holes in jeans to tailoring suits.

The tailor shop is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, and Monday by appointment. Details can be found at eurotailer.net or Euro Tailor’s Facebook page.

OTHER TIDBITS

Bellingham supply chain firm Vitech has submitted a building permit application to occupy the entire second floor at 4164 Meridian St. ... The Woods Coffee has submitted a permit application to put in a new coffee roaster and do a remodel at its café on 811 Lakeway Drive. ... Overflow Taps announced on its Facebook page that while construction is moving along well at its space in the Waples Mercantile Building in Lynden, the opening date likely will be pushed back into early 2016. The owners originally planned to have it open sometime in November.

This story was originally published November 7, 2015 at 4:10 AM with the headline "Retail Tipsheet: New focus paying off for Bellingham thrift store."