Tough times hit thrifts

The Salvation Army is closing two thrift stores in the North Bay, a sign that economic woes are trickling down to not-for-profit agencies whose mission is lifting people up.

The closures include a popular thrift store at 2770 Santa Rosa Ave., where customers this week expressed sadness at the news.

"It's devastating," Martha Grainger of Cloverdale said as she shopped for household items. "I live in a senior complex where people's rent is subsidized. They come here all the time."

The store, the larger of two operated by the Salvation Army in Santa Rosa, will close in February once its lease expires, said Maj. Jack Phillips, area coordinator for the agency's adult rehabilitation centers in Northern California.

Napa's only Salvation Army store will shut Saturday.

One would think that a poor economy is a boon for thrift stores as shoppers search out bargain-priced commodities. But Phillips said donations to the Salvation Army in Sonoma and Napa counties are down 35 percent in the past year. He said this affects the bottom line because customers have a smaller selection of goods to choose from.

The Salvation Army also faced higher fuel costs this year to pick up donations and transporting them to a distribution facility in Healdsburg, he said.

The Salvation Army isn't alone in feeling the budget pinch.

Donations to Goodwill Industries of the Redwood Empire are down by about 16 percent, said Roseanne Kohlhepp, the agency's regional manager.

Phillips called the economic situation the most challenging he's faced in the 35 years he's been with the Salvation Army.

"In the early '70s, there were some challenging times related to the oil crunch. But for a total slump in the economy, in my whole lifetime I haven't seen anything like this," he said.

Phillips said the seven employees at the Santa Rosa Avenue store will be offered jobs at other Salvation Army businesses, which include a thrift store on Third Street near Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. That store employs five.

Several shoppers said they prefer the Santa Rosa Avenue location because of its variety of merchandise and easy parking. The store's motley assortment of goods includes records for $1, paperback books that start at 99 cents and rows and rows of clothes.

Harold Slaymaker, his wife, Cathy, and their two children scouted the upstairs selection of assorted items hoping to find a bargain.

"If I have a few extra bucks, I'll come down here and buy a pair of work jeans," said Slaymaker, a carpenter. "At Wal-Mart, jeans cost $20. Here you can get them for three bucks."

Some shoppers said they enjoy the store for the offbeat items they find there. Susan Sutton of Santa Rosa found a used tom-tom drum for $35 that the jazz pianist said would work perfectly in her ensemble.

"It's a way of donating and have it be a pleasurable experience," Sutton said. "I could just give money, and I do. Or, I could come here and buy a drum."

She also noted shopping can be therapeutic in tough times, "but who can afford to shop in 'new' stores?"

The Salvation Army has nine stores in Sonoma and Napa counties, including the two slated for closure. These stores employ a total of 42 people.

Phillips said 87 cents of every dollar collected at the stores supports the Salvation Army's drug and alcohol treatment program at Lytton Springs, just north of Healdsburg. The other 13 cents goes for administrative costs.

Phillips said there will be no cuts to these programs as a result of the store closures. The Lytton Springs facility serves a maximum of 95 clients and is always at or near capacity.

"We have not had to cut back on the quality of the services. That's the last thing we would do," he said.

Kohlhepp of Goodwill said she believes more people are choosing to sell their unwanted items at yard sales as another way of earning money in tough financial times.

Craigslist, freecycle.com and other online services also have made it easier to get rid of stuff and recoup money in the process.

Kohlhepp said she's hoping the Christmas holidays, which are typically the agency's best time of the year, bring better news.

"People start dragging their Christmas stuff out and getting rid of the old to make way for the new," she said.

You can reach Staff Writer Derek J. Moore at 521-5336 or derek.moore@pressdemocrat.com.