A resale shop designed to provide affordable/free clothing and household items to residents in need and generate money for a local charity is closing its doors Friday, Nov. 10.
Oxford/Orion FISH Board of Directors voted in September to close the organization’s ‘Clothes Closet,? located in the old Thomas Community Hall, north of the village. The resale shop just opened in February.
‘I think we’re all sad,? said FISH President Margaret Monprode. ‘But if you can’t get the people to keep it open, then you have no other choice but to close it.?
Lack of community participation in the project, shortage of volunteer workers and scheduling problems were cited as reasons for the decision.
‘Sadly, it’s just a case of we haven’t been able to get volunteer support for it,? Monprode said. ‘We’ve had a tough time keeping dedicated volunteers for it.?
‘We could get volunteers to come in the morning, but that’s not when the clients wanted to come (to shop),? she explained. ‘It seems the clients want to be out there in the late afternoon when they do their food runs.
But this timing conflicted with volunteers who needed to pick their kids up from school and go home to make dinner, according to Monprode.
Because the shop’s location in Thomas was considered ‘far out,? she said ‘the clients tried to minimize the number of trips they would take because they don’t have the money for gas.?
The short-lived shop was considered a success judging by the amount of clothing and household items it gave away and sold.
‘It was a very good service to the low income community,? Monprode said. ‘They all appreciated it.?
When the number of items sold was combined with what was given away for free, the shop did $1,017 in business in August.
‘Keep in mind we charge a dollar or less for each piece of clothing,? Monprode said.
In September, the shop gave 28 households $542 worth of free clothing and household items and sold $250 worth of merchandise.
As for the shop’s leftover stock, Monprode said, ‘We’ll be forwarding them on to other (charitable) agencies.?
FISH is hoping some other entity will open a resale shop for low income people in the area.
‘We are saving our (clothing) racks and saving our shelving in the hopes that some other group will take it on and we’ll be able to pass it on to them,? she noted. ‘We are hoping that Love INC is building up steam and that perhaps one of the churches under that umbrella will take it on.?
Comprised of 12 denominational and non-denominational churches in the Oxford/Orion area, Love INC enables these religious institutions to pool their resources and services using a clearinghouse system so that no one in need is ever turned away.