thrift stores

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Stores Corner — I Don’t Know What I Don’t Know
Stores Corner — I Don’t Know What I Don’t Know 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Written By: Rick Bologna, Stores Director, Central Texas

Are you willing to take a hard and honest look at your store operations? Are you willing to say and admit – I DON’T KNOW WHAT I DON’T KNOW? I would like to share my firsthand experience with you in this article.

Have you ever wondered how you can make your store more profitable? How can you generate more income and move more product through your store more efficiently and faster? As store leaders, we no-doubt have asked these questions in our minds.

In October of 2020, our store in Austin reopened after being closed due to the pandemic. The store had annual sales of $200K and a warehouse stacked high to the rafters with clothes, housewares, donations, and junk, with more items coming in daily.

Through brute force, common sense, and a lot of trial and error, our team installed processes and workflows to push additional product to the floor and generate additional income.

Our customer-base loved the changes we were making in the store; however, our processes and workflows were not sustainable. The key to sales and income is through the back-room production. Please read that sentence again!

We were working extremely hard, but not very smart.

After the first fiscal year, we increased sales to $400K from $200K. Then we went to $610K in our second fiscal year. We had plateaued. This was as far as I could lead our team.

I was tapped out on my knowledge-base and experience in getting us to this level. This was an awful fact that I had to personally own and share with my team — I DON’T KNOW WHAT I DON’T KNOW!

I reached out to the Director of Stores Support in the National Office, Jeff Beamguard, for help. Jeff heads up the National Training Store in Phoenix, AZ and leads the National Stores Committee.

Jeff arrived in Austin in October of 2022, bringing 40 years of thrift store experience and completed a full assessment of our store.

Key components we learned from Jeff:

  • Initial sorting of product – Is it sellable, recyclable or trash? This will save you a ton of time on product selection for the floor.
  • Each product has an exit strategy from your store — the product will either sell during the color rotation cycle or it does not sell, and it comes off the floor for recycling or trash. IT IS REALLY THIS SIMPLE!
  • Initiated the 5-Week Color Rotation Cycle – If the product has not sold after five weeks on the shelves with various markdowns to .99 cents (in a thrift store) the market will tell you, they do not want the product. Put new products out on your shelves and turn over the shelf space more rapidly by selling more profitable items.

In conclusion, I must say, our Austin team has completely embraced what we are doing and where we are going. Without the team’s buy in, we would not achieve this success utilizing Jeff’s assessments, suggestions, and our implementations.

This fiscal year, our sales will be around $800K. Our workflows and processes are now sustainable, due to education. Our annual production in three years went from 109K pieces to 176K pieces, to about 300K pieces this fiscal year.

As a staff, we NOW KNOW WHAT WE KNOW! We are headed towards the million-dollar store benchmark because of education, proven methodologies, and continued support from the National Stores Committee and Jeff Beamguard. The National Stores Committee and Jeff are here to serve you.

How much money are you leaving on the table in your store without this education? Are you doing your store and Council a service or disservice by not running the store as efficiently as possible?

Please take advantage of this educational opportunity for your store and get into the KNOW!

Please encourage your store personnel to subscribe to the to the e-Gazette, by emailing mboyer@svdpusa.org.

If you have a topic that you would like addressed in a future Stores Corner article, please e-mail our Director of Stores Support-Jeff Beamguard at jbeamguard@svdpusa.org.

 

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Stores Corner — Staffing Standards / Labor Management
Stores Corner — Staffing Standards / Labor Management 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Written by: Lori Malcom, Northeast Region — Archdiocese of Boston

Determining the appropriate amount of labor hours is critical for an efficient retail operation and can appear to be a very daunting task. Guessing can often lead to overstaffing or understaffing, each of which has negative effects on the bottom line and employee morale.

The following tips will help guide you through the process and may be applied to existing stores operations as well as those in the planning or feasibility stage.

Start by determining the size of the store and hours of operation. Be sure to include the hours the store is open for donations. A manager/assistant manager or lead staff person must be in the store at all times. You can determine if your store will have an assistant manager or lead based on the size and hours of your operation. Some smaller stores may not need an assistant manager. You will need to consider any break periods for the staff to insure you have proper coverage during these times.

Consider all of the duties needed, including sales, production, merchandising, janitorial etc. For example, you will need a cashier and a donation attendant during all business hours. Be sure to include hours when multiple cashiers and or donation attendants may be need for busy times.

Allocate an appropriate amount of time for each job duty for each weekday of operation. Some duties have established labor standards, such as production, others will be reasonably determined estimates. Discuss this with your store leadership and consider their input. Staff acknowledgement and buy-in is the key to an efficient labor standard, accountability, and success!

Please consider attending the National Assembly Stores Meeting on September 6, 2023 in St. Louis, MO to learn more ways to serve your thrift store customers.

Please encourage your store personnel to subscribe to the to the e-Gazette, by emailing mboyer@svdpusa.org.

If you have a topic that you would like addressed in a future Stores Corner article, please e-mail our Director of Stores Support-Jeff Beamguard at jbeamguard@svdpusa.org.

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SVdP Bremerton Supersizes Their Thrift Store
SVdP Bremerton Supersizes Their Thrift Store 2560 1707 SVDP USA

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Bremerton WA has proudly opened the doors to its new and improved thrift store.

With 27,000 square feet, 50% more than the previous store, new fixtures and mannequins donated by JC Penney, Silverdale and lots of unique treasures, the Conference has proudly named its newest iteration the St. Vincent de Paul Super Store.

Located in East Bremerton, Washington, the shop features a large selection of new and vintage jewelry, fabulous men’s and women’s clothing, and a robust inventory of furniture and household goods, all at very reasonable prices.

Said Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler, “This new location will continue to provide a helping hand and essential support to those who need it. Our city is stronger due to the work that St. Vincent de Paul and others do to help people in our region. No matter what the season, in the dead of winter or the heat of summer, those struggling or in need of assistance receive help and hope.”

In addition to providing goods to the community at affordable prices, the Super Store’s voucher program provides clothing, furniture and household items to those in need while providing a shopping experience that’s full of dignity and fun. For neighbors who might need an outfit for a job interview or court appearance, the Super Store will take care of them, no questions asked.

Last year, SVdP Bremerton provided 4,800 items worth $23,000 to the community. In addition, a Friends of the Poor Grant from SVdP National allowed the local Conference to give tents, sleeping bags, rain gear and blankets to those experiencing homelessness during the cold winter.

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Stores Corner — Recession Benefits and The Need for Long-Term Planning
Stores Corner — Recession Benefits and The Need for Long-Term Planning 1080 1080 SVDP USA

During a recession, the thrift industry seems to thrive. Although shoppers tend to cut back on spending for non-essential purchases, sales for thrift shops like ours tend to boom. This is a great opportunity for our stores.

The Offer Up Recommerce Report 2022 suggests that the secondhand shopping economy will grow 80% in the next 5 years. Will our stores be ready for this potential growth?

Since consumers tend to hang on to their possessions much longer during a recession, this could pose a dilemma for some thrift stores. If fewer donations are received, yet the demand for our merchandise is growing, how might we plan for this? We need to be creative and use some forward thinking to get ahead of this.

As we know, our donation locations must be convenient for our donors. We might explore targeting specific donation drives where we bring donation receptacles to our donors, i.e. organize community events such as “Fill the Truck” at churches, targeted neighborhoods, or civic organizations.

We can increase social media efforts to target specific age groups, donation sites or specific merchandise needs. Promote special donation locations in church bulletins, on social media, Homeowner Association newsletters, and the like.

We might consider offering a store coupon to donors as an incentive for them to come in and shop at our store. If they don’t use the coupon, perhaps the donor might share the coupon with another prospective customer.

If you don’t already do so, maybe explore purchasing new product and selling the purchased merchandise at a markup. This might bridge the gap, as needed, to fill the stores when donations are low and provide cost-effective merchandise for our customers.

The SVdP National Stores website has a listing of National Partners that could be a resource in this area. For a list of National Partners, visit: https://www.svdpusa-thriftstore.org and select SVdP National Partners under the Resources tab. These vendors have shoes, clothing, bedding, and much more.

As always, if you have questions or would like to reach out to a National Store Committee Member, their names and region can be found here.

If you have a topic that you would like addressed in a future Stores Corner article, please e-mail our Jeff Beamguard, Director of Stores Support at jbeamguard@svdpusa.org.

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SVdP Stores Corner — Expand Your Reach Using Your Fleet
SVdP Stores Corner — Expand Your Reach Using Your Fleet 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Written by: Brooke Trick — Senior Director of Retail Operations
District Council of Madison

Businesses are always looking for effective and unique ways to inform large audiences of their brand and services. What better way to expand your reach then with a rolling billboard? Truck advertising (wraps or vinyl decals) is one of the most successful and cost-effective methods of advertising when compared to other typical marketing; it’s endless exposure for a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising. Truck ads boost brand recognition two times higher than mobile ads and have a higher recall rate than other roadside signs.

Truck advertising offers flexibility unmatched with stationary billboards. Trucks drive diverse pick-up routes often during heavy commute times and frequent popular areas in town. On trucks, whether owned or leased, your brand and the exact message(s) you want to tell are visible to everyone without having to buy the audience. Customers and donors will remember your brand when shopping and will be familiar with your mission after they see your ad in a variety of locations.

Truck advertising is different than traditional advertising because it isn’t restricted by placement, timing and rates. While people can switch off television commercials or use ad blockers online it’s difficult to ignore a colorful and creative ad while driving down the road or stuck in traffic. Most importantly, truck advertising is not invasive or repetitive.

When considering truck advertising, remember these key factors:

  • Be creative! Creative displays attract attention; consider font, color scheme and layout when designing your ad. If you have a fleet, contemplate keeping the format the same but use different pictures to identify shopping and services.
  • Words. As much as you want to inform the public of all the wonderful things you do, use short sentences or phrases that can be read in a few seconds. Experts say catchy or memorable phrases are often the most effective. Some of ours include “Shop with your heart,” or “help your budget, help your planet,
    help your neighbor in need.”
  • If you’re thinking of changing or adding these types of ads to your fleet, consider hiring a local advertising company. They will know current design trends and will incorporate your brand guide into a memorable design. If you have your own design team, they can work together as well.

For more information and resources regarding branding, templates, and logos, click here.

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07-14-2022 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
07-14-2022 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1368 1387 SVDP USA

This isn’t a stores column, but let’s use a store as an example. When reviewing a Thrift Store, I always request that the manager and I close our eyes and we suddenly appear in the middle of the store. What do we see, and what is the store trying to tell us?

In a recent overseas stores tour, the request led me to see a lot of signage about sustainability. That’s a fairly new term for what stores used to call “reuse, renew, and recycle” to which all Thrift Stores can contribute. While such sustainability is a great stores benefit and certainly a very Catholic objective, it is not why we operate our stores. Rather it is one of many good business practices we undertake in the course of our work.

Thus a second and most important question, for all our works: Why don’t we tell more people about our actual mission in what we do to meet it?

Our mission is to bring people to holiness, done through the serving of the poor, assisted with the operations and revenues of, in this example, the store. Our members often complain that no one knows enough about the Society. However, we continue to tell them only what we do. What we often fail to tell them is who we are.

It is natural to confuse activity with intentions. Our communities see our food pantries, pharmacies, and other programs, and so assume that these are the Society’s mission. Even worse, for privacy reasons we purposely don’t show the public our core Home Visit service, so they have no evidence that this is any aspect of our Society’s mission. At best they know we “help the poor,” and because that’s often enough to stimulate donations and good will from most people, we leave well enough alone.

This might all be fine if our mission was to attract volunteers and funds to help our neighbors in need. That’s dangerous thinking because many good people don’t need a faith basis to be charitable. As pro football coach, Bill Parcells once said, you are what your (win-loss) record says you are. What does our Society program, signage and advertising “record” say we are? Could we easily be confused with another social services organization, another used goods store, or a parish ministry?

Marketing people look for the “unique offering” that distinguishes you from the competition, and hopefully provides an advantage in attaining organizational goals.  A unique offering of the Society in a few words is that we offer our members the chance to see the face of Christ. That’s one heck of an offering, right?

We are not embarrassed by our Catholic faith, nor by our members being driven by it to serve the poor. We can be much more intentional about this in our materials messaging, signage, and especially in our language. When asked what the Society does, the proper response might be different for a parishioner than someone else, and that’s fine. Whether the response is, “We help our members grow in holiness through serving the poor,” or “We are Catholics and others who put our faith into action by serving the poor,” at least both point to the same north star of our mission. Yes, we accomplish lots of other good outcomes! We provide sustainable solutions for clothing and household goods. We make efficient use of medications and food supplies to help the most needy. We pay rent and utility bills. We teach neighbors how to be more self-sufficient. We advocate. We do all this and so much more, which, again, is fantastic.

Let’s not confuse what we do, though, with who we are. Others, perhaps many others in our community, can do what we do. No one else is who we are, the members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. We are not simply good people doing good works, we are disciples.  And we pray that others will join us and share in our vocation.

I invite you to close your eyes during your Vincentian service, and then re-open them. With this fresh view, what do you see?  Do others see it too?

Yours in Christ (see, isn’t that easy?),
Dave Barringer
CEO

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Stores Corner: Skillful Merchandising Adds to the Bottom Line
Stores Corner: Skillful Merchandising Adds to the Bottom Line 738 416 SVDP USA

By: Ed Markiewicz
Council of Greensburg, PA

Achieving and maintaining profitability in our Thrift Stores requires implementing standard operational procedures consistently. Without a doubt having the right people, establishing effective intake processing and pricing procedures as well as a color rotation system, and utilizing the data from the Point of Sale system to analyze and implement the necessary changes are the basic requirements for a successful operation. But skillful merchandising can dramatically add to the bottom line and create a welcoming atmosphere for you customers.

How can this easily be achieved? Create a visual team with a creative spirit. Visual merchandising, unexpected pairings, thoughtful details, and repetition attract the eye. Using flexible space for events and seasonal items, a fresh look or display, and creating a rhythm to the store by placing visual elements that guide customer flow through the store are essential. Clever color placement as well as themed settings draw customer attention, and create a warm uniform effect.

Tell a story high on the walls to draw customer’s eyes to featured items. Use mannequins in a unique eye catching display not merely to display clothes. Be sure to showcase items specific to the area and use a simple signage system that often times is the most effective. It can lead to excitement and additional income opportunities, while capturing data at a granular level for deeper insights into the business.

Customers who believe in the mission of the store and enjoy shopping at the SVdP store can share the store’s presence within their own circle of influence: family, friends, and loved ones. Additional visibility for the store is always great!

Loyalty cards allow your store to capture customer data points, which can be leveraged into marketing opportunities. Ask yourself, how can we stay in contact with customers and make decisions on marketing and advertising campaigns?

From the data points captured through loyalty cards, stores can send out email blasts or text blasts, to the customer base for any special sales or promotions. Customer retention is much cheaper than customer acquisition!

Connect with a Region Rep to learn more about what is happening in your area – the list of committee members can be found under the Resources drop down at https://www.svdpusa-thriftstore.org/.

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Stores Corner: Staying in Contact With Your Customers is Critical
Stores Corner: Staying in Contact With Your Customers is Critical 738 416 SVDP USA

Customer loyalty and gift cards can be a positive add-on for a store. Having a Point of Sale (POS) system allows for ease in these types of special add-on programs in daily store operations. These programs create customer excitement and additional income opportunities, while capturing data at a granular level for deeper insights into the business.

Customers who believe in the mission of the store and enjoy shopping at the SVdP Thrift Store can share the store’s presence within their own circle of influence: family, friends, and loved ones. Additional visibility for the store is always great!

Loyalty cards allow your store to capture customer data points, which can be leveraged into marketing opportunities. Ask yourself, how can we stay in contact with customers and make decisions on marketing and advertising campaigns?

From the data points captured through loyalty cards, stores can send out email blasts or text blasts, to the customer base for any special sales or promotions. Customer retention is much cheaper than customer acquisition!

Connect with a Region Rep to learn more about what is happening in your area – the list of committee members can be found under the Resources drop down at https://www.svdpusa-thriftstore.org/.

By: Rick Bologna
SVdP Stores Director / Central Texas

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Employees to Wed Inside St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store
Employees to Wed Inside St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store 2560 2014 SVDP USA

Wedding bells are about to be ringing in Marinette, Wisconsin as their local St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) thrift store gears up to be the place two of its employees say, “I do.” Scott Kopish and Laurie Hinkens will wed September 11, 2021 right in the middle of the sales floor in a private ceremony.

According to both of the soon-to-be newlyweds, choosing the location of their nuptials was a no-brainer. “This place (SVdP) has that feel-good feeling,” Hinkens said. “We come to work with a smile on our face every day. That’s a fact.”

“When I was sent here on a light-duty assignment, I walked in and I instantly felt safe,” Kopish said. “I don’t know how I can explain it. I just felt safe and I thought, you know what? We met here. It would be great to get married in this building. I just thought it meant something.”

Kopish and Hinkens are both long-term employees of SVdP who were both struggling physically prior to starting in their roles. Kopish has been with SVdP for over three years, starting through the Worker’s Compensation program due to an injury as a truck driver. Hinkens started nearly two years ago as a volunteer who had recently received a scary health prognosis.

Hinkens said she felt drawn to Kopish within minutes of meeting him, but wanted to warn him of her medical issues.

“When I saw him for the first time, I got a big smile on my face, and boom,” Hinkens said. “But, I told Scott within the first couple days that I started working that my gastro doctor said I had just one to two years to live.”

While Hinkens was physically struggling when she started with SVdP, a lot has changed since then. Her health has drastically improved, but she looks back on the early days of dating Kopish and how his concern pulled her through the hardest times.

“Other employees would say, ‘Scott’s just so scared for you. He wants to help you. He wants to be with you,’ and I had never felt like that before. Ever,” Hinkens said.

That reassurance from Kopish was a building block for their relationship, even though Hinkens wasn’t the only one who felt reassured in their relationship. Prior to meeting Hinkens, Kopish was leaning on his faith to get him through his difficult times as a single father.

“I remember sitting at the picnic table outside of work and praying to God. I said, “God, send me an angel. Send me somebody who is good for me and my daughter. I will not accept any less,” Kopish said. “And then, boom.”

Despite the grim timeline years ago, Hinkens has been improving physically despite all odds. “The pancreas that was almost shot is now better,” Kopish said. “That just doesn’t happen with a pancreas.”

Hinkens says that their relationship and both of their belief in God are two of the biggest reasons she has been improving, both mentally and physically. “We are so far from perfect, but if one of us is down, the other one is up,” Hinkens said. “God has made the relationship like a Lego that fits with another Lego.”

While wedding planning can be stressful, the couple said the process has been easier than they imagined for their relationship. “Everything has been perfect. Whatever perfect is. If it’s not perfect, it’s a hair under it,” Kopish said.

This is the first wedding ever held at Marinette’s St. Vincent de Paul location, and according to Executive Director Ashley McKinnon, it is an important reminder of the nonprofit’s mission.

“Our organization thrives on nurturing individuals who are struggling,” McKinnon said. “Watching the relationship between Scott and Laurie blossom has been truly beautiful. To see people down on their luck, find each other and push one another to grow in a positive way is what we are all about.”

Providing meaningful employment and volunteer opportunities, our 450 thrift stores are a significant driver of the Society’s mission and effectiveness. Local Conferences distribute clothing, furniture, and household goods to people in need through SVdP Stores vouchers, providing a dignified shopping experience. Profits from our stores contribute millions of dollars for Councils and Conferences to assist neighbors in need in their communities.

2021 Midyear Meeting
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Midyear Meeting Wrapup
Midyear Meeting Wrapup 1916 1030 SVDP USA

Thank you to everyone who attended this year’s 2021 Virtual Midyear Business Meeting. We hope you found it both educational and spiritually uplifting. We’ll be sending out a survey soon for your input, suggestions, and feedback for the Meeting.

Those attendees who chose VIP Registration will receive a copy of the Society’s 175th Anniversary Book and a Commemorative Coin, shipping from our store in the next week. If you didn’t choose VIP registration, you may still order either the book, the coin, or a set of both. The book expands upon Ray Sickinger’s excellent presentation on the history of the Society in the United States, and is a must-read.

Presentation Links

If you were unable to attend a session, or would like to watch it again, here are links to the program recordings:

General Sessions
Spirituality
Governance
Programming
Business 
Thrift Stores 

Exhibitor Showcase

If you were not able to attend the Exhibitor Showcase, links and contact information for each vendor presentation can be found below. We hope you enjoy visiting with our vendors and that you’ll follow-up with them and help grow the Society’s partnership with our National Partners and Exhibitors.

Click the links below to view each presentation, or to email the vendor directly, click on their name:

2021 National Assembly

Mark your calendars for our 2021 National Assembly at the Marriott Marquis in Houston, Texas, August 25 – 29, 2021. We hope to see you there! For those who are not yet comfortable travelling, there will be  a hybrid component to the National Assembly so that those at home can still be part of the gathering.

 

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