Tuesday marks the final day for the 2nd Chance Thrift Store at 3414 N.E. 52nd St., Vancouver, which is operated by Friends of the Carpenter.
“Life is a series of crossroads, which give us the opportunity to explore our potential. For Friends of the Carpenter, the decision to close the 2nd Chance Thrift Store marked such a crossroads this year for our organization,” Tom Iberle, executive director, said in a news release. “We are ready to step down the next path of our journey and with the support of our community we’ll travel it together, continuing our mission to provide safety, structure and purpose for vulnerable members of our community. We are so very grateful to the Store’s founders, the many donors, our customers and especially our dedicated volunteers who kept the 2nd Chance going for almost 9 years.”
A decision to close the store was made in September due to numerous factors, according to the release. Store sales had been steadily in decline since 2013, during which the highest point of gross sales was reached at $166,000. A historical low occurred in 2017, with sales just over $115,000. In the same year, facilities, accounting, and administrative staff time expenses resulted in a net income of just $16,000.
