Leaky roof closes area thrift store
Toolbox
By Josh O'Gorman STAFF WRITER - Published: September 30, 2009
SPRINGFIELD — Some of the town's neediest residents will have to wait for help or seek it elsewhere after a leaky roof left a local thrift store temporarily closed.
The "Good Buy" thrift store at 23-25 Main St. has been closed since Monday and will most likely remain closed for the rest of the week after a hole in the roof allowed Sunday's rain to soak some of the merchandise, said Tonia White, director of thrift stores for Southeastern Vermont Community Action.
White said she first received word Monday morning that water had come through the roof, which was being worked on that weekend. While Saturday was sunny, about an inch of rain fell in the Springfield region between Saturday night and Monday morning, according to a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
"Mother Nature came down before they had it all buttoned up," White said. "I can't imagine we'll be open any time before Monday."
Water soaked much of the clothing on the right side of the store, and by Tuesday morning, workers had moved piles of clothes to the left side and had high-power fans blowing the carpet dry.
White said this is the busiest time of the year, with about 100 customers passing though the doors daily. It is also one of the most profitable times of year because the fall stock of winter coats and boots is priced higher than the summer stock.
"We're a nonprofit, so if we don't make sales, it impacts the community," said White, who said the store would normally make "several thousand dollars" in sales during the week if it were open.
The closure also impacts people looking for help. SEVCA issues vouchers that people can take to the store and exchange for clothing, furniture and kitchen items. White said the store would normally serve one or two of these people every day, and while they are free to go to other SEVCA stores in Hartford and Bellows Falls, lack of transportation can make the trip difficult.
"If people have vouchers, hold onto them. We'll still honor them," White said.
White said the store is still picking up donated furniture, but asked donors to save their nonfurniture items until the store reopens.
This is the third time the property has sustained water damage during the past year. In July 2008, and again two months later in September, the basement of the property flooded. In a lawsuit filed in Windsor County Superior Court, property owner Eugene R. Guy alleges the flooding was because of the negligence of contractors who repaired the sidewalk in front of the building.
The lawsuit is still pending. Guy did not return calls Tuesday seeking comment about the new water damage.
White said the store closure is affecting many of the most needy in Springfield.
"We had a woman out front who was in desperate need of maternity clothes and that was one of the racks affected," she said.
josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com
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