Before community organizing was cool, the United Methodist Thrift Shop had already raised $50,000 to help pay off its sponsoring church’s mortgage and was well down the road of helping community nonprofits with grants and local students with college scholarships.
It has never looked back, and on May 10, it will celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Susan Tait, president of the shop’s board of directors and a volunteer for 25 years, estimates the shop has raised $1.5 million for grants to support nonprofits in La Plata County. In addition, it provides college scholarships, usually worth $1,000 to students from local high schools.
“We’re going to march right on for our next 50 years, and what we do goes directly back into the community,” Tait said.
All of the proceeds were earned the honest way: One $1.50 pair of secondhand Levis or $2 skirt at a time.
Lori Brouner, manager of the thrift shop, said the store can pivot quickly during emergencies. When the 416 Fire broke out June 1, 2018, the store had lots of experience from helping evacuees and firefighters during the Missionary Ridge Fire of 2002.
Volunteers, the backbone of the operation, some 100 worker bees who keep costs low and donations high, were ready to step in.
Personal items like socks and toothpaste were prepared for firefighters, and the store aided evacuees with clothing. The shop was ready to offer grants to hard-pressed fire departments to fill various needs that had fallen through the cracks during the blaze.
At first, the store wasn’t quite as organized.
Anne Isgar, 99, was present at the founding. She remembers bringing the first donations to First United Methodist Church before an empty building was found for the first store.
“We had lots of volunteers, but at first, we didn’t know what we were doing,” she said.
The situation was quickly remedied with help from Fort Lewis College business professors who helped with a professional business plan and bookkeeping expertise.
Now, as the shop looks to move into its next chapter, Brouner said she is looking to improve the online presence and begin selling over the internet.
She’s looking for volunteers with computer expertise to help the shop move into the Amazon age.
“We are trying to evolve. People are shopping differently now,” she said.
Still, being in the shop has benefits you can’t get online.
Sandra Mapel, who has volunteered since 1970 and is now “a very infrequent substitute cashier” at the store, said the job is good for volunteers who typically are older and are looking for ways to stay in engaged.
“It’s a very personal thing. You connect with the people who come into this place. You get to know their kids’ names and where they work. It’s amazing,” she said.
Joan Kellogg, Isgar’s daughter, said volunteers need not come from First United nor do they even have to be Methodists; volunteering at the shop is a nondenominational occupation.
“I get fellow teachers to volunteer. They make great volunteers,” Kellogg said, adding she’s donated maybe 1,000 books to Park Elementary School from good reads she has found at the store.
Not all donations go for a dollar or two. Tait remembers receiving a watercolor from an artist out of Massachusetts that the store was able to sell for thousands of dollars to the University of Massachusetts.
She also recalls getting $800 for a pair of vintage 1950s-era Levis.
Clothing is the top seller at the shop, and volunteers seem to agree china sets and flatware have fallen out of favor.
But Brouner has seen things go in and out of style. At one time, vinyl LPs were out of favor. Now, she said they are collectibles.
Even if clothing isn’t selling in Durango, Brouner said the store has found other thrift shops around the country where it will sell and has shipped donations to them. She remembers helping a mission group based in Utah raise funds to build a bridge in Peru with clothing donated in Durango.
“If we get clothes that won’t sell here, we’ll find a place where it will do some good,” she said.
The store plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary at the First United Methodist’s annual luncheon May 21.
In addition, banners will soon be hanging over Main Avenue, and various sales and promotions featuring the number “50” will begin.
Brouner expects to have some 50%-off days, and each week in May, the shop plans to have drawings to award a $50 gift card.
“We’ll do whatever else we can think of around the number 50,” she said.
parmijo@durangoherald.com
