You move to a new town...a town where you've never lived. You look around, check things out. You see where things are, stores, shops, parks, city offices, fairgrounds. Moving from a a major metropolitan center to a town of a few thousand people can be an adjustment. There's no sushi places, no movie theaters, no Costco.
But, there's a thrift store...
Sort of.
I mean, it's a real store, and yesterday--for the first time--after trying to enter the store for six months, I actually opened the doors and went inside. One of the first stores I visited when we moved was the thrift store on Main. It was locked, and when I returned and tried again, I was always locked. I even called the phone number and no one ever answered. I wondered if it was just a storage place for someone and they were selling things on-line.
The past couple of times I'd driven by, I thought things looked different so yesterday I parked in front of the store. I saw a couple actually enter the store. I got out of the car and followed them in.
Over the years I've been in a lot of thrift stores. We're lucky in our area to have some run by the LDS church. They're big and clean and, for the most part, organized. These are words I would not use to describe the thrift store I visited yesterday. In short, it didn't feel like the place had the walk-in customer's interests as its first priority. It had stuff, but a lot I couldn't even reach because of things on the floor. And, there was a sign at the register desk that said basically, "Cash Only."
Now, I only have my observations to go by. I have no idea of who owns the business, or what issues they are dealing with, so I don't want to judge too harshly. But, as a business concern, it's pretty rough.
Thrift stores pay an important part of a community. They're places people can go who can't afford new things. They're also a place for people to donate things they no longer need. In my opinion, they're win-win situations, something this--and all--communities need.
