In recent years I've been surprised that the Salvation Army Family Store, seemingly out of place along this increasingly upscale corridor, remains open on Fourth Avenue.
Sure enough, as EVG reader David pointed out yesterday, the shop at 112 Fourth Ave. near 12th Street is closing: Oct. 31 is the last day in business.
I reached out to the Salvation Army's NY office to find out why this location is closing. (I also want to know how long this outpost has been here — more than 25 years at least.) Will update when/if I hear back.
Anyway, sorry to see them go. I've also picked up a variety of dishes, records and clothes here through the years...
Updated 1:30 p.m.:
Heard back from Tim Raines, marketing and development director at the Salvation Army: "Our lease has been terminated by the landlord. We continue to search for new properties that will allow us to serve our loyal customers, donors and most important, the people we serve thanks to the proceeds from our Family Stores."
He noted the following: Donors may find additional dropoff locations or schedule a free pickup of their donation by visiting SATRUCK.ORG or by calling 800.SA.TRUCK.
Oh no! Love having them there!!
ReplyDeleteI passed by recently and thought unless they own this building how does that store manage to remain with multi-million dollar condos all around it?
ReplyDeleteCharity has no place in the todays New York only corporate chain stores and restaurants.
Where am I going to go to donate locally? Any ideas/suggestions? Please!
ReplyDeleteCURE Thrift Shop 111 E 12th St- funds diabetes research. Call first, they are sometimes overstocked and don’t always accept more goods.
DeleteHousing Works on Crosby.
DeleteI donated some books there a few years ago, but the interior is crowded and not attractive.
ReplyDeleteNoooo! They have been so awesome to donate to. I must have given them 2 dozen garbage bags' worth of fine belongings during my Marie Kondo/Tracy McCubbin decluttering streaks.
ReplyDeleteThis is terrible news.
Oh no no no no! This was always the place I could go to donate when I decluttered, and when I took books to the Strand to sell, the unwanted ones always wound up here! This is awful news! The only other place I know besides CURE is the East Village Thrift Shop on Second Ave. and 12th, but neither of them are really willing to take *everything*, the way the S.A. did!
ReplyDeleteIts too expensive. All of their stores are closed on Sunday. Rent and wages are too high. It wouldnt surprise me if all their stores close .
ReplyDeleteYou can always donate to Housing Works.
ReplyDeleteThis org has a history of systemic discrimination against LGBTQA, from lobbying / cooperating with anti-gay legislation here and abroad, to closing shelters in neighborhoods where LGBTQA homelessness was endemic, etc. Google it. Good riddance !
ReplyDeleteWill the last person to leave Manhattan please turn off the lights?
ReplyDeleteI'm in the same boat as the other commenters who like to donate at this store. There's a Goodwill on 14th Street near 5th...I wonder what their donation policies are. I know it's not East Village, but it could be doable, depending on how much you have to carry.
ReplyDelete@9:36 AM
ReplyDeleteare you serious about too high wages?
When they started closing their stores on Sunday they posted a notice on the door of the stores. It stated that they couldn't afford the new wages and other costs and were therefore closing on Sunday
DeleteThere's also the very well-run thrift shop just next door to the SECOND AVENUE location of Tompkins Square Bagels.
ReplyDeleteShit! This is not right! Now what?
ReplyDeleteFor women's clothing and toiletries, you can donate to the Catholic Worker on 3rd St & 2nd Ave. Just ask inside what else they might need.
ReplyDeleteI’ve been donating to the Goodwill on 14th between 5th and 6th. I haven’t been looking for receipts so just dropped off in the designated spot. This store is the opposite of the Salvation Army, with neat and not overcrowded racks of clothes. I’ve taken some fancier stuff to Housing Works, and the Housing Works Bookstore in SoHo takes books, CDs, and albums. Both HW took what I brought without picking through to decide what they wanted.
ReplyDeleteThe area near 23rd and 2nd has long been known as Thrift Store Row:
ReplyDeleteThere's a Salvation Army up on 23rd street—as well as The City Opera Thrift Shop, and Vintage Thrift operated by the United Jewish Council of the East Side.
Also, I always donate my used books to East Village Books, on St. Mark's place.
ReplyDeleteHousing Works Thrift shop at 130 Crosby St.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Housing Works Book Shop next door (where you can donate books and buy wonderful Christmas gifts) is one of the best kept secret most wonderful places in nyc.
@10:37AM Um.. well, yeah. They're Christian. And it's their prerogative who they offer services to.
ReplyDeleteThere's also a Salvation Army that's closing in Bushwick.
ReplyDeleteP.S.—There's a Housing Works thrift shop on 23rd street west of 2nd avenue.
ReplyDeleteThe old man who owned the building on fourth Avenue passed away the whole building is being emptied out everybody’s got to go...
ReplyDeleteThere’s another Salvation Army on 23rd between second and third it’s right by the Goodwill and down the block and across the street from the housing work...
The thrift store on 12 St & 2 nd is not connected to any charity, that I know of
But I’m not 100% sure
if it matters to you research it further