You may have noticed the trend in recent years… one big box store after the next closing their doors.  Others are shrinking their footprint and coming up with smaller versions of themselves.  This way they can open more store fronts situated closer to each other and appear more community focused.

At Impact Thrift Stores, we’re bucking that trend!  Bigger is better, baby!

Sales have been brisk, and we thank you for that!

But we have also been blessed <and overwhelmed> by your generous donations. We have filled warehouse after warehouse with your gently-used, unwanted stuff which has been waiting patiently for space on our store shelves.

In order to accommodate you, our generous donors and dedicated shoppers, our stores are getting bigger and bigger with each incarnation!  Our new Feasterville location, which opens officially on April 21, 2012, will include over 40,000 square feet of retail space!

Bigger than your average supermarket!  Holy guacamole Batman!

 

In addition to the 42,000 square feet of retail space, the new store has over 20,000 square feet behind the scenes. What do we need all of that space for????

The retail space is huge but only a small part of the Impact Thrift Stores story!

Donation Processing: At least 3 sets of hands and eyes handle each item that is donated to Impact Thrift.  The folks at our back doors who accept your donation with a smile, hand the items off to either the clothing, bric-a-brac or electronics departments.  Each of these processing areas are staffed by 3 or 4 individuals who look over each item carefully, cleaning when necessary, testing items for functionality and pricing the items before placing on our store shelves. Books are sorted by genre and shelved by category.

Recycling: As often as we ask for items to be donated in perfect working order, invariably, items are donated that do not work or may work but are too far gone for us to offer for sale. Soft goods items such as clothing, linens and towels that we deem not up to snuff are responsibly recycled.  Those items are stored in large “shark cages” until picked up by a local recycler. Metal items go through our Bric-a-brac processors to determine if they are magnetic or not – placing those items in the appropriate metal sorting bins.  Cables and cords from non-working lamps and electronics are also place in bins set aside for “dirty” metals… those surrounded by plastic or cable.  We are paid pennies on the pound for the recycled goods, another way to raise funds for our supported charities! Click here to learn more about how and what we can recycle.

Furniture:  All wooden furniture is cleaned and polished before sale.  Please do not donate furniture that is broken, ripped, obviously stained or needs repair as we don’t have the manpower to repair broken furniture. But if an item is a little scratched or could use a new coat of paint, we just clean it up, price it and out it goes on the selling floor. Upholstered furniture goes through a cleaning and disinfecting process so you can be assured it is clean and in the best of shape we can offer. Click here to view a video which demonstrates our furniture cleaning process.

Read more about the big box retail trend on retailtrafficmag.com.