A Gainesville thrift store that opened in 1935 will sell its clothes and accessories for the last time this semester.
The Junior League of Gainesville Thrift Shop closed its doors on Jan. 3 so the League’s board members could evaluate how well the store was doing, said Margot DeConna, president of the Gainesville organization. But by the end of the month, the members decided the shop, located at 430 N. Main St., will not reopen.
The Junior League of Gainesville is a local chapter of the national nonprofit organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities, DeConna said.
The shop will have a final sidewalk sale sometime this Spring, but the exact date and discounts are still being decided.
The store’s sales have been declining in the past two to three years, DeConna said. Operation costs and competition with other thrift shops in town also contributed to its closure.
“This is a really, really hard decision and one that we’re very sad about,” DeConna said. “We also look back with pride on all that we’ve been able to accomplish.”
Within three years, DeConna said 15 Junior League Thrift Shops have closed nationwide. In total, the organization has 300 shops in the U.S. and four international locations.
Christine Barnes, a 20-year-old UF horticultural science junior, said she had been going to the thrift store since she was a freshman and plans on taking advantage of the final sale.
“I loved being able to find affordable, cute clothes and know the proceeds were going toward a good cause,” Barnes said.
The Junior League of Gainesville Thrift Shop, located at 430 N. Main St.
