Happy Sales & Happy Tails at the WHS Thrift Shop
The store celebrates 4 years with new hours, new deals, and the same great mission
When it’s time to unlock the storefront doors each day, it’s not unusual for Thrift Shop staff and volunteers to be greeted by customers eagerly awaiting its opening.
“The store is always humming with customers talking and singing along to the music,” said Thrift Shop Manager Dana Browne. “I am constantly being told that they love our shop: It’s clean, friendly, and with great prices.”
The number of store visitors seems to reiterate this sentiment, with Browne sharing that the shop typically has 150-200 transactions per day.
“I just love when our customers are so happy to be here, especially the ones that bring in their pets,” she said. “We get all kinds of dogs and an occasional cat or even a rabbit. All pets must be in carts, but that doesn’t stop the bigger dogs.”
Alongside customers’ visiting pups, the Thrift Shop hosts WHS foster kittens about once a week.
The donation intake side of operations is just as busy as the front of the store—perhaps even more so at times, with staff and volunteers working hard to keep up with the steady stream of donation drop-offs that need to be sorted and prepped for sale.
“I am always surprised and grateful for the generous donations we receive,” Browne said. “We have had everything from collectables and antiques to fun and unusual items to everyday housewares and clothing.”
One thing the shop could use more of? Volunteers. There are some days when the store doesn’t have enough help and has to temporarily close donation intake, which can cause inconvenience for community members looking to drop-off items.
Volunteer shifts happen three times a day, with 14 spots per shift, and include such roles as intake, clothing, linens, electronics, jewelry, stocking, and cashiering. Currently, Browne estimates the shop has 7-10 volunteers per shift on a normal day, meaning there is room for more people to join the team.
For those who can’t volunteer, you can show your support by shopping at the store and encouraging others to do the same, by donating great items, or by leaving a positive online review.
As of this month, the Thrift Shop has new hours and is open for shopping Tuesday-Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. (Donation drop-offs are a similar but slightly shorter timeframe of Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.)
Each day of the week also highlights a different sale type: Tuesday is 10% off for senior citizens; Wednesday is 50% off pet-related items; Thursday is 50% off clothing; Friday is 50% off DVDs, CDs, games, books, and puzzles; and Saturday is 50% off kitchen items and linens.
“We are always trying new things to keep our customers happy,” Browne said. “For instance, I just added a TV that plays animal videos, which has been a big hit. We even did a photo contest earlier this year themed ‘Your Pet with Your Thrift Shop Find’ that had over 100 entries.”
This October marked the Thrift Shop’s four-year anniversary under operation by the Whatcom Humane Society and one-year anniversary at its location in the Birchwood Neighborhood. Browne shared that a near-future plan is for the shop to join the Birchwood Neighborhood Association, with the overarching goal of the store remaining steadfast: “Bring in more money for the animals in our care and gain the respect of the community.”