Having secured a temporary location, the Comox Valley Transition Society will once again be accepting donations after the loss of Too Good To Be Threw thrift store.
In early March, the CVTS will be taking over and setting up shop in the Treasure Shack at 239 Puntledge Road as the owner has decided to close down the store. Until then, the non-profit will be accepting and storing donations at 470 Puntledge Road.
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The fire that destroyed Too Good To Be Threw on Sixth Street also left the CVTS with a $75,000 funding shortfall between mid-January and the beginning of March.
“It feels good to have a space so that we can continue to generate the revenue that the store had contributed to the services and programs of the transition society,” said Heather Ney, executive director of the CVTS. “It also feels good because the staff who were laid off are very very committed to coming back, and so we’ve been able to recall a couple of staff already to come back to work on a limited basis.”
On Friday, CVTS management got their first look inside the damaged thrift store and saw first hand how much the fire and smoke had destroyed.
“It was a bit sad to see 10 years of work and fine-tuning our operation so damaged. We really are starting over again,” she said, adding that she observed most of the damage had been caused by heat, smoke and water.
Management not allowed into the retail space at the front of the store as the damage from the fire is causing the roof to fall in. But in the backroom and the basement, they were able to find some salvageable items.
Ney said the basement escaped most of the damage and some sorting and storage items, such as bins, hooks, laundry baskets and boxes of garbage bags, were still in good shape.
READ MORE: ‘Virtually nothing’ is salvageable after Too Good To Be Threw fire
Though the two buildings on Puntledge Road are much smaller than the Sixth Street store, Ney says she is very happy to be able to reopen so quickly and thanks the community for the constant support.
Due to space constraints, CVTS will not be accepting furniture, hardware, sporting goods or electronics at the temporary location, but will be accepting things like clothing, books, home decor, housewares and jewelry.
The temporary drop-off location at 470 Puntledge Road will be open for limited hours starting Monday. Donations will be accepted from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
CVTS will take possession of the Treasure Shack building on March 1 and will be open for business once the store is set up.
jolene.rudisuela@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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