Kamloops move: Habitat for Humanity ReStore

 Habitat for Humanity's Kamloops chapter has moved the store from up the hill to over the river.  New location open at 800 Fortune Drive.

Nanaimo: Closure Salvation Army furniture thrift shop

 The Salvation Army in Nanaimo closed its furniture outlet on Mostar Road.  The premises and operations has been assumed by the Habitat for Humanity chapter.

Salmon Arm: Habitat for Humanity ReStore

 The Kamloops chapter of Habitat for Humanity opened a new ReStore shop in Salmon Arm.

Located at 1160 4th Avenue SW.

Abbotsford - Healing Grounds

When I was out in Abbotsford this past spring, we searched for a thrift shop called Healing Grounds on Bevan Road, but only found an empty shopfront in a mall.

I recently received mail from a volunteer that the original location was closed due to a flood, and that the new location - just adjacent - has opened with help from Habitat from Humanity.  This shop will stock the non-home improvement products - clothes, books, housewares, sports equipment, home decor, etc. - that are not offered at the ReStore on Fraser Highway.

Give them a visit.

https://www.facebook.com/restoreabbotsford%20/videos/1539530672808051/?video_source=pages_finch_thumbnail_video

Another ReStore - In Chilliwack

Though we don't visit for home renovation products, we still visit Habitat for Humanity ReStores as housewares and collectibles may be available.  We became aware of a newer location on Yale Road in Chilliwack which we never usually visit as it is not convenient to other Chilliwack thrift shops.  We finally got around to visiting this location today.  The store has a very good selection of home reno supplies, better than many of the other 13 we've visited which may show more items get recycled here.  Not much in the way of housewares, but this and the Abbotsford store must have received a huge amount of inventory from an imported handicraft and decorations gift store as there are shelves of the stuff.

List of Lower Mainland thrift stores south of the Fraser river.
http://bcthriftshop.blogspot.ca/p/blog-page_3.html

Campbell River

Made a trip up to Campbell River to visit the thrift stores we have visited in the past and to visit some we've only recently become aware of.

The first store is the New Beginnings boutique of the Salvation Army.  Selling mostly clothes and accessories, this store is really obscured, hidden in the back of  a building without any signage in the front  You really have to look and be aware of where it is.  Free lot parking.

The next store is the ReStore on the north end of the new inland highway (southbound just south of the junction for Gold River).  It is a medium-sized stores but stocks a fair amount of housewares.  Charges reasonable prices. Free lot parking.

The third store is Transitions Used Furniture and More Store of the Campbell River and North Island Transition Society.  Despite its name (it does sell furniture), it has a lot of very nice housewares and collectibles,  Free street parking.

Kamloops

A large but less affluent than Kelowna, Kamloops supports a far number of thrift stores.

Starting up far north in the Westsyde (Westsyde Road at Mayne) is the Westsyde Fellowship Church shop, only open on a Friday 9-13h.  It's a small shop on the top floor of the church complex with mainly clothes but some housewares, games and hardware.  Reasonable prices but we've seen nothing of interest. Lots of free lot parking.

In the shopping mall complex on Tranquille Road and Desmond is Flutter Buys of the local Hospice.  It has moved to the central building in the complex (facing Tranquille).  Lots of the usual items.  Free lot parking.

Back along Tranquille towards the bridge at Yew is the local Salvation Army.  A medium-sized shop, it has the usual assortment except furniture.  Quite a large housewares section.  Free street parking.

A bit further down on a side street, Briar Avenue between Palm and Wilson is the local Saint Vincent de Paul.  It is a smaller shop with the usual assortment at good prices.  Free lot parking.

Downtown Kamloops has at least 3 thrift shops.

On Victoria between 1st and 2nd avenues is the Thrift Seller shop of the local Hospital Auxilliary.  This medium-sized sho is well-organised and has everything except furniture.  Good prices.  Paid street parking.

On Seymour between 3rd and 4th avenues is Thrift City of New Life Mission.  This larger medium-sized shop has something of everything.  Good prices.  Paid street parking.

On Saint Paul between 4th and 5th avenues is the United Church's thrift shop which has moved into new premises around the corner from the old one on 4th Avenue. This small shop has the usual except furniture.  Paid street parking.

Reports of a Big Brothers Big Sisters on Seymour between 8th and 9th.

Up the hill on Cariboo Place between Hillside Drive and Laval Crescent is the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. In addition to home reno wares, this outlet has a lot of housewares and collectibles.  Free lot and street parking.

The SPCA is supposed to have one but I haven't been able to locate it.

Abbotsford

Abbotsford is home to several thrift shops, most with religious affiliation.  It's homely here so lots of housewares and a good selection of everything.  Working from west to east, one first finds


Life's Second Chance which assists those with severe addictions (drugs).  Located on the south side of Fraser Way just north/east of the TC highway (can't get off/on the highway here).  Medium-large shop with a good assortment of everything.  Decent prices.  Free lot parking.

MCC Clothing Etc.

Less than 1 Km east on Fraser Way @ Countess is the original MCC thrift shop.  This one gets lots of contributions and has a good selection of everything.  Very good prices in general. Across the street is a Habitat for Humanity ReStore which, like Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island stores, mainly have home reno wares. Both  have free lot parking.  Ample is the case of the ReStore.




On the east side of town straddling the rail track are 4 thrift stores.  The smallest and most obscure is Hidden Treasures, operated by M2W2 which offers one-to-one peer counselling and support to prisoners ready for release and want to be rehabilitated.  Small store with a good assortment.  Free lot parking. Located on West Railway @ George Ferguson




There's Abbotsford Bibles for Missions on south on West Railway (opposite the tracks from the 2nd MCC and Salvation Army) which is affiliated but not grouped with the others in B.C.  Well-organised store, prices not as good as others but decent.  They price stuff that is good at a decent but not bargain price. Free lot parking.

MCC Centre

Across the tracks on Gladys Avenue is the 2nd MCC store which occupies a huge premise - probably the largest of any thrift store in B.C. along with a Ten Thousand Villages outlet, quilting workshop and a casual restaurant - all MCC activities, and the MCC's HQ offices in BC. It is spaciously laid out so not as densely stocked as one would expect.  Prices are good but again, not a bargain.  The volunteers search for prices on auction/resale sites and offer it at 1/3rd the going/asking rate. Lots of free lot parking.



A bit further south is the Salvation Army store.  Housed in the basement of a SA housing/shelter building, it is a bit dark.  Medium sized, prices not so good and selection is o.k.  Free lot parking.







There's a small thrift store which I will report on when visited.
(Update April 2017: There were actually two - Healing Grounds an Missions without Borders  but the former has since been closed and the latter sold to a private operator)


List of Abbotsford and south of the Fraser river thrift shops
http://bcthriftshop.blogspot.ca/p/blog-page_3.html

Northwest Burnaby

Medical appointment this morning in the western fringe of Burnaby so we got going early to visit some shops.

First was the New West/Royal Columbian Hospital Auxilliary that was having its monthly 1/2 price sale (last Thursday of the month).  The Princess of Austria had been eyeing a set of dishes ($2) while I had been eyeing a salt 'n pepper shaker set.  Asking prices of $2 and $5 were way too high for what we wanted them for  the PoA as a starter set for her plan white china set while I wanted to dd to my Pfaltzgraff Yorktowne set.
Both were still there n the morning so we felt at liberty to walk out paying  $3.50 for all.

Next was up to the two thrift stores on Edmonds  The PoA found a nice Irish linen souvenir towel at one and a few coffee cups friends of her friend are collecting (Johnson Brothers Athena).

There is a Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Burnaby so we dropped by.  A lot of stuff for home renos but very little int he way of other thrift goods, unlike the stores in the Interior.  That's why we never though of dropping in.  With her doctor running 40 minutes behind schedule, we made a stop at the SA in North Burnaby.  This store has been fruitful for me in the past yielding a German Solingen bread knife and a Henckels pasta ladle but nothing for me today. the PoA did find 4 linen napkins for $2.

Medical appointment done, we headed back to New West but dropped into the Coquitlam expensive VV  Lots of expensive stuff but I did find a metal-handled J.A. Henckels apple corer for $0.99.  3rd one I found this year but also the nicest.

Made a foray to the HA again but no new stock  The local SA also didn't have much but found a saucer in the pattern that the PoA's friend is collecting  (Royal Knight).  The SPCA again is full of... expensive items.  Did see another German-made apple corer but I don't need another one.