close

Save on back-to-school shopping at the Beacon Thrift store

4 min read

In today’s economic climate, people continue to seek ways to save their hard earned dollars. One way many families can save on back-to-school clothes is to shop the racks at the Beacon of HOPE Thrift store. At this time, the beacon shelves are bursting with great bargains and dressing the kids for school will cost wise shoppers pennies on the dollar. Many of the items for purchase at the Beacon come with designer labels and are all in excellent condition.

“We never put out any clothing that is stained or in need of repair. When we do get items that we cannot sell in the store, we recycle by selling them to a company that uses them for rags, so no donation goes to waste, however, we do ask that our contributors make an effort to make sure that what they donate is suitable for re-sale,” said Barbara Peckinpaugh. “Right now we have literally hundreds of items for school-aged children and our thought is why pay full price when your child can have a new wardrobe at a fraction of the cost.”

Thrift store shopping is no longer tabu and many frugal minded folks have mastered the art of bargain hunting saving literally hundreds of dollars a year on clothing bills.

“We know there are a lot of families who are struggling to make ends meet. We may not be facing any hurricanes right now, but this is a different kind of storm that can be just as devastating,” said Sheri Dube with the Beacon Thrift Store. “By shopping at the Beacon, they can stretch their budgets a lot further and ensure that the children will have everything they need to start school in August.”

According to Dube, items for children come in a wide range of sizes and styles and are priced between 50 cents and $2. Dube also said that no customer will go away empty handed, and those who cannot afford to pay can earn the clothing and other items they need by putting in a few volunteer hours at the Beacon.

At this time, the Beacon Thrift Store is offering shoppers 50 percent off of all clothing in stock as well as any school-related items. According to Dube, new items arrive frequently and it is usually the most desirable articles that turn over the quickest.

“It is amazing how often we get items with designer labels like Chico’s, Sag Harbor, L.L. Bean and Landsend. Often these clothes have never been worn,” said Dube. “We get more stuff every day so it pays to come in frequently.”

In addition, the Beacon also encourages those seeking a job, going on an interview or beginning a new job to come to the thrift store to get properly attired.

“In today’s aggressive job market, it is more important than ever to make a good first impression,” Dube said. “When we have someone come in who is looking for work, we encourage them to put together an outfit that will help them put their best foot forward.”

Dube estimates that an appropriate interview or job outfit can be put together for $6 or less. In addition to rack upon rack of clothing, the Beacon also has a large selection of neck ties, handbags, shoes and other accessories to complete a professional image.

The Beacon of HOPE Thrift Store is located on Pine Island Road, just east of the center, and is open for shopping Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. During these hours, donations are always gratefully appreciated. For more information, call the Beacon Thrift Store at 283-5123.

Proceeds from the sale of items at the thrift store directly benefit those islanders in need.