You know the economy is bad when a not-for-profit thrift shop closes

[SoCalDem]

This place is not far from where we live, and I noticed a "closing" sign on the door.. a few days later it was shut down.. From what I heard, people had quit donating as much stuff (maybe they are KEEPING it and USING it) and people who were customers, had cut back on their shopping..

Even though it was a not for profit, they had overhead to pay, and just could not make a go of it anymore... This was the second thrift shop to close in the last year...and our only fabric store closed too.. as did at least 4 grocery stores in the last few years..:eyes:

[Kurovski]

1. The economy is turning a corner!

Did I hear that somewhere?

[marmar]

3. Yeah, onto skid row.

:scared:

[serryjw]

2. One a few miles

from me in Denver closed about 2 months ago.

[SoCalDem]

4. Hang a right at the intersection of Shitcreek Lane and Drop Dead Blvd

:(

[GrumpyGreg]

5. Maybe making rag rugs is in again. (I'm joking here)

My mother in law took all of the old clothes and made rag rugs or quilts.

She never threw anything out.

My favorite thrift store closed about 3 years ago. God,what great things I bought.

[Sal Minella]

7. I ran one of those places in the 'seventies, people donated wonderful

things. The boys who lived under the bridge would come in and get new outfits ever so often, always was a special sale on when they came in (free) and the prices got pretty high when someone was wearing big diamonds. We did a lot of good in that little store, and what little money we made over rent and lights went for food orders for families who needed them. Most deeply satisfying job I ever had, paid minimum wage and all the smiles you could carry.

Got so I could smell an antique dealer at ten yards. They had a way of sidling in the door and trying to disappear into the wall while their eyes darted around casing the joint. Prices really went up when one of them came in. One would ask for a price and then say "Oh, that's not worth that much." "Well, you probably shouldn't buy it, then," I'd say softly. They usually bought it. We managed to make the rent and lights and a few food orders every month and we need more places like that now, not fewer. Am so sorry to hear any are closing.

There were even a couple of undercover guys who hung around now and then pretending to be hippies -- their hippie look consisted partly of wearing almost new neckties threaded through their belt loops. Hey, man, cool. With all the real hippies wandering in and out, they probably thought I was selling mood-altering substances on the side. I hate to disappoint people usually but those two standing around trying to look cool while having nothing to focus on was really funny.

[blues90]

6. I've noticed this too

We used to go to thriftshops to buy a lot of our clothes , for one to be able to afford clothing and the idea of donating . This was also an inexpensive way to furnish our apartment with better furnature than you would normally come across .

I live right near hollywood high and much of this area has changed in the last 5 years that it does not seem like the same place .

It seems anything these days that is not a franchise with backing dies a slow death and this is a shame .

It's really difficult to even find a job here now even though looking at the area you would think there are jobs a plenty .

[ThoughtCriminal]

8. Goodwill pulled out of our town

A big part of the problem is that there was not much of a market for "Stuff-that-was-left-over-at-the-end-of-the-yard-sale". They had to import some merchandise from a larger city.

There are a couple of small non-profit shops left.