CORNER BROOK, N.L. — The NL West SPCA will be opening the doors to its SPCA Bargain Shop on Saturday.
The shop, located in the Lew Buckle building across from Coleman’s on Caribou Road, is something Frances Drover had envisioned for some time.
Drover, president of the NL West SPCA board, said bargain shops or thrift type stores are something other SPCA’s use to fund their operations.
“They don’t bother with any other things, that’s all they do.”
It’s a pretty lucrative business, with St. John’s just opening a second store and Clarenville moving into a bigger location. The Baccalieu Trail SPCA also has a store in Bay Roberts.
“It’s so hard to raise money these days,” said Drover, who sees no reason why the venture wouldn’t work here.
The group is in the process of building a new shelter in Corner Brook and Drover said that build and maintaining the new space will cost them more money than they have.
“This hopefully will build and give us enough money to sustain the shelter,” she said.
Dealing in bargain items is not something outside of the NL West SPCA’s realm of expertise when it comes to fundraising.
“This hopefully will build and give us enough money to sustain the shelter.” - Frances Drover
The group has been running yard sales out of its current shelter location on Connors Road.
While the sales have been good, Drover said yard sales do have seasonal limitations. With the store the group will be able to sell the items it collects year round.
The bargain shop will operate out of a 1,200-square foot space.
In preparation for opening, a lot of items, gently used and some new, will be available for customers.
They don’t have a lot of room to store things at the location, buy anyone with items to donate can contact the store to arrange to bring them in or they can still be dropped off at the shelter in the mornings.
If all goes well, the SPCA does have an option to expand the space.
The group had hoped to start construction of the new shelter on Lundrigan Drive this past summer, but Drover said that is on hold for now.
The steel for the building is in the city and being stored for the winter. The group is in the process of hiring a project manager for the build.
She said the plan is to begin in the late winter or early spring, depending on when the land can be prepared, and to be open by late next summer or early fall.
[email protected]
Twitter: WS_DianeCrocker
