Local
Salvation Army store to close
By TESA CULLI
tesa.culli@register-news.com
MT. VERNON — The Salvation Army Thrift Store has become a victim of the economy, and will be closing effective July 25.
“Like every other organization and individual out there, we’ve taken a hit in our financial situation,” Salvation Army Marion Service Center Director Daniel Jenkins said. “Any facility that’s losing money, they have to take action.”
And the action taken at this time is to close the local store, with items going on half-price from July 20 through 25 in an effort to reduce inventory. Any remaining merchandise will be transferred to other thrift stores in the region.
“We’re just not getting the sales to offset expenses,” Jenkins explained. “With the minimum wage increase, labor costs are up substantially, and we’re losing money. That’s the bottom line. We can’t afford to keep going the way we are.”
The local Salvation Army program is directed from the service center in Marion, which will not be affected by the closing, and other programs and services offered through the Salvation Army will continue to be offered in Jefferson County.
“We’re still doing everything else we ever did,” Jenkins said. “It’s just the Thrift Store that is being closed. ... The Salvation Army is committed to a long term presence in Mt. Vernon and Southern Illinois. The closing of this store in no way affects the level of service we can provide residents.”
Jenkins said the local thrift store has struggled for many years in the city, and the recent downturn in the economy has been another factor in the decision to close the local store.
The Salvation Army is an international organization that has been working in the region for 126 years. The Salvation Army serves community members 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Additional information about the Salvation Army and its services is available at www.stl-salvationsarmy.org.
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