After more than two months, the team at Too Good To Be Threw Thrift Store is ready to open the doors and get back to business. The thrift stores closed their doors in March – like most other businesses – amid concerns over the risk of coronavirus to customers, volunteers and staff. Starting June 1, the doors will reopen at the Puntledge Road store, though the 5th Street location will remain temporarily closed.
“It certainly won’t be business as usual, but at least we are moving in the right direction,” said Heather Ney, Comox Valley Transition Society (CVTS) executive director.”
The thrift store is a social enterprise that generates money to support and sustain many of the CVTS programs and services provided for free in our community.
“It’s been a tough couple of years for the thrift store.,” said Ney. “First was the fire in January 2019, which destroyed the entire building and everything in it. Then COVID-19 struck: in April, alone, CVTS lost almost $20,000 in thrift-store generated revenue that we desperately rely on.”
Many safety measures will be put into place.
“For those people visiting the store, the shopping experience will look a lot different,” said Ney. “We have removed some shelving to make more room for people to move through the store and maintain social distancing. Only a limited number of people will be allowed in at one time, and they will be required to use hand sanitizer upon entry, which will be provided at the door. People will now have to follow directional aisles, and we’ve installed a plexiglass divider at the check-out counter. We have also reduced the store hours, to allow staff more time to clean and disinfect surfaces.”
Ney added that anyone who displays symptoms of illness will not be permitted entry to the store.
New store hours are from 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Donations will be accepted at the large garage door only during this time. With limited space, the thrift store is unable to accept large donations, and will not accept furniture, sporting equipment or any large hard-wired items, such as televisions, etc.
Comox Valley Transition Society is a nonprofit organization providing services in the Comox, Cumberland and Courtenay areas and beyond (including Denman and Hornby Islands) to women, children and families who have experienced violence, who are unsheltered or are struggling through poverty and working to overcome addiction.
