Campbell River II - Salvation Army, Hospital Auxiliary and Hospice

I neglected to write about the three thrift shops in Campbell River that we had previously visited when I wrote about the new ones at the end of November.

The Family Thrift Store of the Salvation Army near the north end of Homewood Road is the main store.  Medium-large in size, it has the usual selection including furniture with more housewares than usual.  Good selection of books and electronics too,  Prices are reasonable, and much more so than usual SAs. More than ample free lot parking as it is located in a distressed mall.

The Campbell River Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop on the hospital grounds on 2nd Avenue is a medium size shop operated by volunteers. Usual selection (no furniture), good prices.  Free lot parking.








The Second to None thrift shop of Campbell River Hospice on Dogwood Street just north of Cortez is a volunteer-run store. Small in size, it is quite densely-stocked in the clothing part. Usual assortment (no furniture) and good prices. Free lot parking.

Facebook

Many thrift shops are using Facebook to spread news of their thrift shops rather than maintaining a web page.  One can finds news of sales, auctions, late and early closings, discounts and other events.

Look for them or see my links/liked pages by adding me as a friend (BC ThriftyShopper)

A couple of links about thrifting

A couple of interesting things about thrifting, and giving to thrift shops

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/catholicauthenticity/2016/11/dear-rich-people-please-keep-giving-us-your-junk/

http://www.vox.com/first-person/2016/12/14/13926560/thrift-store-donations

Why not Value Village Part II

I shall quote the South Okanagan Women in Need Society which has since had to close its thrift shop in Penticton

“What about Value Village?” you might ask. Value Village is not a charity, it is a for profit business that donates a % of revenue (and not the lions share) to its partner societies. The lion’s share of revenues, calculated in the billions, goes to the private equity company’s owners. The first store opened in Renton, Washington in 1966. The first Canadian store opened in Vancouver in 1980. It became the largest for-profit chain of thrift stores in 1995. It has over 140 non-profits partners across North America. The three main Canadian organizations are: Canadian Diabetes Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada and Developmental Disabilities Association. There are over 200 Value Village Stores in Canada, USA and Australia. Read more at www.vancitybuzz.com/2012/11/why-are-value-villages-prices-getting-so-high

http://sowins.com/uncategorized/thrift-stores-shopping-for-deals-fun-function-as-well-as-environmental-and-social-benefit/#more-'

Courtenay and Comox - Salvation Army, ReStore and Transition Society

The twin towns of Courtenay and Comox have a fair number of thrift shops.  Like Parksville and Qualicum, most retirees here must have downsized and rid themselves of their vintage items so not much gets to the thrift shops.  The contribution from military members results in more military-connected items and foreign souvenirs than one would expect.

The Salvation Army has the most with 3 branches.  The Salvation Army has been on the move in the area.  A new store was opened n Comox a few years ago to add to the small one in Comox town.

Salvation Army Kilpatrick Avenue store

The Salvation Army Courtenay store on Kilpatrick Avenue moved from a warehouse to a more-retail built street-frontage premise within the same building. Previous to that, it was located in the downtown part of Courtenay. It is fairly large for the area, utilitarian as the SA thrift shops tend to be, decently organised and has the usual wares.  Quite a bit of furniture is offered.  Free lot parking.

Ryan Road store

The new Salvation Army store in Comox, on East Ryan Road just before the military base, is in a smallish store occupying a new building.  It's decently organised. Usual assortment of goods. Very small amount of books. Free lot parking.

Comox Avenue store

The older Comox store on Comox Avenue n Comox centre is a small one that is more like a gift store with a small selection of the usual wares - focusing mainly clothes and offering no furniture.  Free street parking.

Too Good To Be Threw

  

Too Good to be Threw of the Comox Valley Transition Society has a just claim to being the nicest thrift store in the Comox Valley. Set in Courtenay's core, it is a larger spacious store which is laid out very nicely. Some prices can be high but not too bad overall. Good book selection. Free street parking.

St. Joe's Auxiliary Cottage thrift shop

On the grounds of St. Joseph's Hospital is its Auxiliary's Cottage Thrift store.  Located in a small cottage, it is a small store that is enthusiastically run by volunteers.  Focus is on clothes but there are housewares and collectibles.  Generally very good prices.  Small amount of free lot parking overflowing into paid hospital parking. The hospital will continue as a care facility when the acute care units are moved to the new hospital so hopefully the auxiliary will stay.

ReStore

Habitat for Humanity has a small ReStore hidden in a residential nieghborhood that one would not find except by chance.  It's one of the smallest ReStores (we've visited all except 2 in southern B.C.), but one that has a small but decent amount of housewares in addition to the normal home reno items. Free lot parking

There is also the gift shop at the Filberg Lodge mentioned in a post from earlier this week.

The local SPCA, locate across from the Salvation Army shop on Ryan Road, has somewhat regular fund-raising book sales.

Port Alberni

We were in Parksville visiting our usual shops when we made a decision to visit the shops in Port Alberni just to see what's there.  I am glad to say it isn't dismal, as the town used to have well-paid employment in the past but the town is looking a bit forlorn like many other de-industrialised towns.

Heading into the north part of town in the old Alberni on Johnston between Adelaide an Elizabeth, there is The Attic thrift shop of the West Coast Hospital auxiliary.  It seems to be a small store set in am old strip mall, narrow but it is deep with a room in the back so almost medium sized..  Friendly volunteers have organised it well.  Very good prices.  Free lot parking.

Down in Port Alberni, up on the hill around 3rd and Argyle are a host of thrift shops.

Cornerstone Thrift

Just a few shops north of the junction is Bread of Life's Cornerstone thrift shop.  Medium size, it is a bit rambling.  Good prices. Very friendly staff and apparently the main cashier sings a lot.  Free street parking.

Port Alberni Salvation Army

South just over a block is the Salvation Army that has moved (from Argyle) into what must have been an old shop.  It is a little too big (big size of medium) for its size (needs more stuff?)  Some furniture sold here. Free street parking.  Good prices, better than your average SA in B.C.

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Port Alberni SPCA

On Argyle just east of 3rd is the Port Alberni SPCA store which is smaller than most of the other SPCA ones.  It is fairly well-organised and stocked.  We didn't see anything of interest so can't comment on the prices.  Free street parking.

Parksville and Qualicum Beach

Made a trip down to Parksville and Qualicum.   We'd visited some of the stores in August and September but didn't make it to Qualicum Beach.  I noticed that I had not reviewed previously-visited stores in Parksville and Comox/Courtenay.

Both communities are among the most elderly in B.C. but it would seem that most retirees must have already downsized as one does not find more in the way of period collectibles than expected.  Books are an exception and are what one finds here with the thrift shops having much more books than your average.

In Parksville on Hurst Avenue, one will find the largest thrift shop on the Island.  The SOS thrift shop is it in terms of floor size and stocking.  It may not be the largest in B.C. (by area, that must be the new MCC shop in Abbotsford) but it must be among the biggest by available-to-shopper inventory.  On two levels, it pretty much has everything.  Clothes and books upstairs, housewares, collectibles, electronics, children's stuff and other odds 'n ends downstairs.  Be prepared to dig through to find bargains.  Not the cheapest prices but pretty reasonable.  Very crowded and popular whenever we've visited.  Free lot parking though that is usually full.  Free street parking available.

The Salvation Army has two thrift shops in Parksville.

                                                                                                                      

The main shop in a small mall just off the highway is medium sized and has quite a large book area, There's collectibles, housewares, clothing, a lot of books.  No furniture.  Prices are generally higher but lower than SA shops in the big cities. A bit dark and dreary but decently organised. Free lot parking.

The Salvation Army Boutique, for those who have visited in the past, is still there but has shrunk significantly in size for various reasons.  What remains is ladies' fashion which is clean and very well organised,   Almost more like a ... boutique, except prices are low and most of everything is used.  Everything sorted by size so it isn't such a mad hunt.  Mens' and childrens' wear have all been shifted to the other store.  Free street parking.

The Second Chance store, which I wrote about in September, has apparently extended its opening days, now open on Tuesdays (used to be Wednesday to Saturday) and is also open late 2x weekly.

Qualicum Beach has a smaller Salvation Army store which also has a separate book store virtually next to the main store.  One enter to find collectibles and housewares, with an electronics, shoes and odd 'n ends on the lower level. The main store has a boutique section which one may miss if not looking.  The adjacent book store is well-organised and has interesting titles.  Free street parking.

The Gift Shop at the Filberg Lodge, Comox

While it isn't necessarily a thrift shop, the Gift Shop at the Filberg Lodge in Comox is part of a non-profit society that raises money to maintain the Filberg Lodge and park.  The shop receives donation of very nice collectibles and fine china sets among other items.  Prices are not thrift store prices but they are reasonable for what they are.

Check the website for opening times as they are very limited in the off-season.