HOURS OF OPERATIONThe Northside Neighborhood House thrift store on Signal Mountain Road is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Steve Bullard said he used to have only one option when he searched for discounts near his Signal Mountain home. On a recent drive back from work, he noticed his choices had doubled.
“I love Walmart,” said Mr. Bullard, “but there’s always room for another good bargain store.”
Northside Neighborhood House’s second thrift store opened Jan. 4, and officials say it has led to far more than closing the competitive gap with the nearby shopping monolith on Signal Mountain Road.
“The money goes to help needy people,” said Barbara Wright, store manager at the new location, “and there’s a lot of that out there right now.”
Last year, half of Northside’s thrift store revenue provided the resources for most of what the agency offers to lower-income Chattanooga residents north of the Tennessee River. Along with staffing educational programs for children and adults, Northside helps patrons with paying everyday bills.
“The new store is providing a good revenue for us” said Rachel Gammon, executive director of Northside. “We’ve had over double our thrift revenue at this point compared to last year. The trend is looking good.”
A visit to the new store revealed a bustling sales floor filled with clothing, couches and appliances. The larger items stood next to smaller rarities piled up in the corners.
“They have videotapes, which you can’t really find anymore,” said Megan Brady, a Chattanooga resident. “I love thrift stores and have been here five times since it’s opened.”
Spiking donation levels led to a space problem at Northside’s original thrift store, located at 209 Minor St., and that prompted officials to consider another outlet. The new store is housed at 241 Signal Mountain Road, a spot formerly occupied by Austin’s Garden Center.
The Minor Street location will remain open.
Last year, Northside helped between 3,500 and 4,000 people, officials said.
The revenue boost allows the charity to explore timely initiatives, they said.
“We’re going to start a program to help educate folks on finance, how to budget and stretch that dollar,” Ms. Wright said. “And, of course, the thrift store helps stretch dollars, too. We try to keep (prices) down within reason to help people get a good buy.”