Just in time for earth month, Savers thrift store has opened up in the nearby town of Willow Grove, Pa.
Savers main objective is to upcycle. This is the basis of there mission.
“Savers is a for-profit company that works with non-profits all over the U.S.,” Vanessa Ross, store manager for the Willow Grove location, said. “We sell everything from clothing, house ware, shoes, toys, bed and bath, books, DVDs and electronics.”
This is not just the average thrift store. The store itself is 15,000 square ft. wide. Savers holds 1,000-3,000 pieces in its house ware department and 5,000-10,000 pieces in its clothing department.
The thrift store sells everything except for furniture and is able to recycle all items except for glassware.
“Anything that we are not able to sell we do try to recycle whether it be hard toys, soft toys, clothing items, bed and bath, belts, backpacks, etc.,” Ross said.
The best part is that nothing goes to waste. Savers does indeed save all items that they receive. Last year the company kept 650,000,000 pounds of goods out of landfills all over the globe.
“If we are not able to send them to third world countries or developing nations we’ll turn the items in to rags or donate them to local places like animal shelters or women shelters,” Ross said. “[We’ll donate to] any non-profits that can benefit from the items that we are not able to sell.”
Everything that Savers gets and re-sells is through donations. Whether they be from the general public or partnering with local non-profits such as Big Brothers Big Sisters.
In total, the company helps more than 120 nonprofit organizations by paying them for their donated pieces.
Here is how the donation process goes. The Willow Grove store donation hours are from Monday-Saturday 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. and Sunday 10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. There is a separate section and door for all donations, all one has to do is ring the bell to drop their items off.
After donating, the person will receive a card with five different hole spots that range from 15 percent in the first hole all the way up to 30 percent in the last. Every time one donates, they will get their hole punched and are able to use that amount on the card to receive a discount off of their payment whenever they shop at Savers. Also, each person gets a new card for every time that they donate.
“The Savers thrift store was really organized and a very friendly environment,” Kenia Rodriguez, junior criminology major and Spanish minor, said. “Also the employees were really nice and try to help you as soon as you walk in.”
Savers is all about purchasing, reselling and recycling items while at the same time giving communities a clever way to shop for their everyday needs.
The first Savers location was opened in 1954 in San Fransisco, Ca. by the company’s founder, William O. Ellison.
“The Saver’s location in Willow Grove is the company’s 333rd store,” Ross said.
Renee Oliver / Sports Editor
