Duncan: Habitat for Humanity ReStore

We did a shopping trip to Duncan last week.  Naturally, we started early so we could visit the fine local thrift stores an visited all of them save for WINGS III (not open until noon, and the Seventh Day Adventist outside of town (not open that day).

We did make a note to drop in on the new Habitat for Humanity Mid-Island chapter's ReStore on Government Street.  This new store occupies what used to be a hardware and plumbing store.  Lots of free parking out front.  The store is a little smaller than I expected and deals entirely with hardware and furniture so no housewares (or clothes) here.  Perhaps a little too early to say what prices are like.

On another note, the for-profit thrift store on EJ Hughes Place around from the provincial government building, or court house, has totally disappeared, building and all.

Imminent closure: Abbotsford and Chilliwack ReStores

For some reason, there is some disagreement in Habitat for Humanity and its Upper Fraser Valley chapter with the result that the two ReStores in Abbotsford and Chilliwack will be closing this Saturday

https://www.facebook.com/pg/restoreabbotsford

https://www.theprogress.com/news/habitat-for-humanity-upper-fraser-valley-to-close-its-doors/

Kamloops: Second Chances - BC SPCA

While confirming the closure of the Songhees Nation / Esquimalt BC SPCA affiliate thrift store, I came across a new one in Kamloops.  There was supposed to be a temporary thrift store at the SPCA operations north of the river but we could never find it in 2015 and 2016 during our two housesitting stints there.  This one opened at least before late in 2017.

The new one is called Second Chances on Victoria Street (634).  Hours posted on the store's blog is different from the SPCA's.

https://secondchanceskamloops.wordpress.com/

https://spca.bc.ca/about-us/locations/thrift-stores/

Come 'n Go: Esquimalt SPCA

I drove through Esquimalt yesterday with an intent to visit the SPCA thrift shop in the Songhees nation band.  I hadn't visited this one in  couple of years and found that it has been replaced by, somewhat appropriately, a pet supplies store.

The only remaining SPCA thrift shop (note: all operated by private owners who share a percentage of revenue to the BC SPCA) on Vancouver Island is on Sidney.

Only 7.5 cents a lb????

A newspaper article about dumping in donation bins.  The other factoid of interest is that a certain chain of for-profit pseudo thrift stores only pays $1.50 per 9 kg (20 lbs) of sorted clothing.  A non-profit can get a raise a lot more funds from that.


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/fort-st-john-dumping-at-donation-boxes-1.4623049

Church thrift sales

Some churches do not operate thrift shops but periodic thrift sales are held (some churches such as Wilson Heights United in east Vancouver and St Mathias Anglican in Victoria operate more along these lines - moving inventory into the church hall or temporary rooms albeit on a more-regular basis).

I went to Saint Rose of Lima Catholic church in Sooke this past Saturday.  Sooke is a failly small community so offerings weren't too plentiful but it is always nice to go.

The other periodic church sales, tied to adjacent Catholic schools are Queen of Angels school in Duncan and Immaculata in Kelowna.

Penticton: a new Habitat for Humanity ReStore

The Okanagan chapter of Habitat for Humanity will be opening a store in Penticton on Saturday April 8 at 2498 Skaha Lake Rd (just 200m down the road from the Main Street @ Skaha Lake Road Salvation Army thrift shop).

This is the 3rd branch (the other two are in Kelowna and Westbank).