It’s been nearly four years since a fire destroyed Too Good To be Threw in downtown Courtenay, but the Comox Valley Transition Society is preparing to move back to the thrift store’s original location at 367 6th St.
Once it secures an occupancy permit for the building, the CVTS will be able to fill the space with merchandise.
“It’s (opening day) imminent,” CVTS executive director Heather Ney said. “When we do open the doors, we’ll be opening with Christmas. We’ve always got a great Christmas product, and we’re excited about that.”
READ: Too Good to be Threw thrift store damaged in late night fire
Too Good to be Threw first opened its doors in October of 2008. Sales revenue supports CVTS programs such as Amethyst House, Lilli House, Connect and Travelodge. The social enterprise thrift store also provides employment, and free goods to people in need.
The Jan. 20, 2019 fire destroyed the store and its contents. By March, with help from Comox Rotary and other volunteers, CVTS had opened a temporary store in a smaller space on Puntledge Road. Within a month, the society opened a second store — a fashion store — on 5th Street.
“It’s been up and down for the last few years,” Ney said. “We barely broke even after the second year. It hasn’t contributed the kinds of funds to the programs that it had in the past, so obviously we’re anxious to get back.”
The 5th Street store has closed, and the Puntledge locale will shut down when 6th Street re-opens.
“It’s operationally challenging to run two stores,” said Ney, who appreciates the community support during the trying times. “The community here is incredibly generous, in general, and specifically, very supportive of the Transition Society and the work that we do.”
Until the new store re-opens on 6th, the public is asked to continue to bring donations to 239 Puntledge Rd. from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday to Saturday.
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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