Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 6, 1995 TAG: 9510060025
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MEGAN SCHNABEL STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Imagine trying to start up a small clothing store with more than 150 workers.
And just suppose, to make it more interesting, that they're all volunteers who have little or no retail experience and who are able to work only a few hours a week.
The Roanoke/Franklin unit of the American Cancer Society is doing just that, and the members sound, well, excited about what seems like an administrative nightmare.
"Oh, my family has been eating a lot of frozen dinners lately, but I just know this is going to be great," said Libby Camper, manager of the charity's new Discovery Shop. The store, an apparel resale shop, opens next Thursday at Townside Festival shopping center on Franklin Road.
Eventually, Camper will be putting in just 25 hours a week at the shop. But for now, she and other society members have been spending long days readying the store, the merchandise and the volunteers for the grand opening.
The shop will sell what Camper called "gently used upscale clothing." Already, it is packed with merchandise. Men's and women's clothing, including suits and formal wear, line the walls and fill the back room, waiting to be tagged by volunteer pricing squads.
"The response has just been amazing," said Daphne DePuy, executive director of the society's Western Virginia region.
The Roanoke Discovery Shop is one of two American Cancer Society resale shops in Virginia - the other is in Virginia Beach - and 110 in the nation that sell donated clothing and accessories to raise money for cancer research.
"Our aim is for the atmosphere of the shop to have more of a boutique flavor than your typical thrift shop," said DePuy. The store will accept all donations, but any items that don't fit the shop's boutique image will be passed on to other local charities.
A number of other local retailers have donated new clothing for the grand opening, and others are encouraging customers to give used apparel to the shop. At Davidson's men's stores, for instance, customers who bring used, dry-cleaned clothing for the Discovery Shop get a discount on the purchase of similar apparel, said president Larry Davidson.
The Discovery Shop is just the newest of several fund-raising resale shops in the Roanoke area. DePuy said these established stores shouldn't see the Discovery Shop as competition, but rather as a partner. The aim of the program is to support work of the society, she said, not to put other shops out of business.
Roger Matthews, executive director of Goodwill Industries Tinker Mountain Inc., which operates several thrift stores in the Roanoke area, agreed.
"Generally, if these shops are run well, everybody benefits," he said. Each new store that opens heightens the community's awareness of such programs, he said.
DePuy said it's too early to speculate on the Roanoke Discovery Shop's profits. According to national American Cancer Society figures, though, these resale shops can expect to net from $30,000 to $130,000 a year once they've become established in their communities. It may take a few months or a few years for a shop to start showing a profit, she said.
Keeping volunteers interested and donations coming in once the shop's novelty wears off won't be easy, Camper said, but she said she isn't worried about running low on community
"Every family has been affected by cancer in one way or another," Camper said. "They'll want to help out."
To become an American Cancer Society volunteer or donor, call the Roanoke office at 344-8699. Or stop by the Discovery Shop at Townside Festival. Starting next Thursday, hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday. Donations are tax-deductible.
by CNB