FeedsSt. Vincent DePaul store opens Saturday
This weekend, Westland is expected to become a haven for bargain hunters and penny pinchers as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul comes to town.
It won’t be just another resale shop, though. Billed by the organization as “the largest thrift store in Wayne County,” the 22,900-square-foot store located off Wayne Road near Hunter Road is designed to smash the stereotypes associated with that type of operation.
At the forefront of the changes is Ray Minton, vice president of thrift store operations for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. With 33 years of merchandising experience at Kmart, Minton said that when he hired on several years ago, he found that the existing St. Vincent de Paul stores were simply too lightly trafficked to reach their full potential.
“The stores we had at the time were operating as little ‘mom and pop’ thrift stores,” he said.
So now, they’re trying to update their facilities—and their image. He said that the society hopes to encourage people who might otherwise have a stigma against going into a thrift feel as comfortable as the bargain seekers who routinely troll the aisle.
“People are going to walk in and see a thrift store that looks like a department store or a discount store,” he said. “We hope we’ll knock their socks off.”
In a difficult economy, he said that thrift stores can be a virtual treasure trove of goods, including clothing. The stores are also popular with individuals who are trying to equip a home or dorm room without spending a fortune, he said. The variety of goods available gives shoppers an opportunity to find décor items that are unique.
“We’re definitely on a roll,” said Minton. “The wide selection of merchandise presents a unique shopping experience to bargain-hunters and is also affordable to people looking to stretch their dollar a little further.”
The Westland site was selected for the organization’s primary Wayne County store because the community offered a mix of poor and affluent people as well as a suitably sized vacant storefront in a highly visible area with a large amount of traffic due to the restaurants and other businesses in the area. St. Vincent de Paul currently operates similar ‘big box’ stores in Clinton Township and in Waterford. It also has stores in Detroit, Flat Rock, Inkster, Port Huron, and Southgate.
The St. Vincent de Paul Westland Thrift Store and Donation Center will host a brief grand opening ceremony and tour this morning for a select group of civic leaders, but the real action will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday when the store opens to the public.
The store will be open for business from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon until 5 p.m. on Sunday. Donations will be accepted from the time the store opens in the morning until half an hour before closing time at the donation center behind the store. Individuals with bulky or a large quantity of items can request that the items be picked up by calling (877) 788-4623. Receipts will be available for donated goods.
Proceeds from the store are used to for projects including merchandise giveaways to individuals in need of assistance, food depots, a free summer camp for disadvantaged children, and medical, dental, and childcare assistance.
