The Mercer Island Thrift Shop (MITS) is celebrating 40 years as a volunteer-powered organization raising money to support Mercer Island Youth and Family Services.
The shop, which is expected to bring in $1.36 million this year, started as a rummage sale in 1975. Volunteers raised $3,413 at that first sale. Now, the Thrift Shop makes about $4,000 per day, said Suzanne Philen, Thrift Shop business coordinator.
The Thrift Shop was first located in a garage, then at the old Mercer View Elementary School, and moved to its current Mercerdale location in 1984. It hired its first paid employee in 1997, and began improving its business model: computerizing inventory and cash registers, organizing the store with “retail fixtures” and operating seven days a week instead of four.
Employees would work behind the scenes the other three days, Philen said, and would have 75-80 people waiting in line on Wednesdays for new inventory that was reasonably priced.
“Mercer Island is a very generous community,” she said. “We never really marketed for donations, but we get really high quality items… We are truly grateful for the community’s support, and we could not have the social services on Mercer Island that we do without the volunteers, donation and customer support.”
Thrift Shop sales increased dramatically in the past 15 years, especially during the recession. Now, people are thinking differently about thrifting, Philen said.
“It’s more about entertainment and creativity, and it’s for all income levels,” she said.
Friends and family are invited to save 30 percent throughout the store during the annual Holiday Showcase Sale Event on Monday, Nov. 16. The store will be transformed for the holidays with the finest selection of cocktail dresses, genuine and faux furs, and home decor for the holidays.
It’s the largest sales day of the year, Philen said.
Staff will be give away five $40 MITS gift cards throughout the day. Enjoy personalized customer service and refreshments all day long while you shop. Store hours for this special event are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
