Thrift stores in Raleigh and Durham are starting to open for shoppers and donations
As more retail stores are starting to reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic, thrift and consignment stores are faced with an extra set of concerns. In addition to normal cleaning and distancing rules, thrift stores must figure out how to handle donations and how to assure customers that the items they are buying are safe.
The safety issue may be the biggest mental hurdle for shoppers. Are secondhand items safe to purchase?
Keep in mind that scientists are still unsure how long coronavirus can live on any surface, but they do think that it survives on hard surfaces (like stainless steel and hard plastic) longer than soft surfaces, like fabrics. The World Health Organization estimates the lifetime of the disease is anywhere between a few hours and a few days.
Whether you purchase secondhand items or brand new items, they will have been touched by other human beings prior to you taking them home. Always wash clothing or textiles you bring into your home, and disinfect hard surfaces. And always wash or sanitize your hands after handling any items inside stores.
We checked on some thrift and consignment stores in the Triangle to see if they have reopened yet and what they are doing to keep shoppers and workers safe. Please note this is just a sampling of the area’s thrift, consignment and secondhand shops.
(The information here regarding the opened or closed status of stores as well as store hours, is accurate as of the publish date of this article: May 20, 2020. Check with individual stores for updates.)
Goodwill Donation Centers and Stores
Goodwill is the largest player in the thrift industry, which Bloomberg says employs thousands of people each year and generates at least $18 billion in annual revenue. The local offshoot of the national nonprofit, Goodwill Industries of Eastern North Carolina, has reopened all of its stores.
There are locations throughout the Triangle. Current hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. A message from the GIENC president, posted in March, says that the store is practicing enhanced cleaning and social distancing.
Local Goodwill stores are also taking donations, but no home pickup at this time.
When a reporter visited a Goodwill store in Apex recently, all of the employees were wearing masks and about half of the shoppers were. The store had also posted a notice about store capacity limitations and had implemented one-way traffic floor markings and placed markings near checkout or outdoors to keep patrons apart while waiting in line.
Missions Thrift & Consignment
This thrift store associated with the Crossroads Fellowship Church in North Raleigh opened last week. Social media and volunteer coordinator Lorri Winter posted a Facebook Live video noting that fitting rooms and bathrooms would be closed (“we would suggest that you try to tinkle before you come in”) and asking shoppers to wear masks if they have one. Winter said workers (volunteers) would be wearing masks and that the store is following social distancing requests. Hand sanitizer is also available for shoppers.
Store hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and donations are accepted from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: 2721 East Millbrook Road, Raleigh
Info: www.missionsthriftnc.com
Habitat Wake ReStore
ReStore, which benefits Habitat for Humanity, has several locations throughout Wake County, and their website says they hope to begin reopening in late May or early June. They are taking a phased approach to reopening.
During the first phase, which we’re currently in, physical stores will remain closed but online shopping is available. Curbside pickup is available.
Phase Two, estimated to begin on May 26, will see some stores open for shoppers and donors, with modified hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday). The location of stores will depend on staff availability. The stores will accept donations during Phase Two, but dropoffs only.
During Phase Three, which they estimate for June 9, ReStore hopes to have all stores open and also hopes to have trucks back out on the road to pick up donations. The new store hours will remain.
When stores do open, ReStore strongly recommends that customers wear a face covering in stores (it’ll even earn you a 10% discount). Masks will be available for purchase inside the stores. ReStore will also have physical distancing signage inside stores and plexiglass shields at checkouts.
Info: wakerestore.org
Cause for Paws
There are two locations for this thrift store, which benefits animal rescue. The North Market Street location is closed until further notice, but the South Saunders Street store is open. All employees and all shoppers must wear a face mask to enter the store. The store is open Thursday through Monday and is accepting donations (except for some restricted items). Donations are accepted from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. during open days, with social distancing required.
Location: 1634 S Saunders St, Raleigh
Info: thrift-stores.cfp-nc.org
ReTails Thrift Shop
Another thrift store that benefits animal rescue (with a focus on reducing pet populations), ReTails plans to open on May 26. They’ll also start taking donations on that date. In the meantime, they are “reorganizing the store for social distancing and safety.”
Location: 2821 Spring Forest Road, Raleigh
Info: animalkind.org
North Raleigh Ministries
This nonprofit, which benefits local residents in financial crises, has two Raleigh locations: 2821 Brentwood Road and 9650 Strickland Rd, Suite 161. The Brentwood Road location is new and just opened on May 20. Hours for each store are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Store staff will disinfect shopping carts and high-touch area, and they will wear masks. The stores are also asking customers to ear face coverings and practice social distancing. Donations air out in a warehouse for a minimum of 72 hours before being placed on the sales floor.
Info: northraleighministries.com
A-Z Thrift Shop
This store, which benefits the Assistance League of the Triangle Area, is not open yet, but they are aiming for June. The store’s Facebook page says: “Some adjustments will be made to ensure that we can offer a safe and healthy place for our customers to shop.”
Location: 1621 North Market Drive, Raleigh
Rescue Missions Ministries
All locations — Durham, Wake Forest, RTP and Briar Creek — are open. The website says they are taking the temperature of employees and customers before they enter the store, and that employees are required to wear masks. The store has also instituted strict cleaning practices. Shoppers are encouraged to wear masks, but Durham’s stay-at-home order, which is stricter than the North Carolina order, makes masks a requirement there.
Info: rmmthriftstore.org/covid-19-store-guidelines
Raleigh Rescue Mission
The giant Raleigh Rescue Mission thrift store at 4700 Capital Boulevard is closed, but they hope to reopen soon. That location is now taking donations, though. The downtown Raleigh Mission center (314 E Hargett Street) is only taking essential items at this time, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The items they need there include: cleaning and sanitizing products, diapers, new car seats, baby formula and unopened medications such as Tylenol and Advil.
Info: raleighrescue.org/covid-19-updates
CommunityWorx Thrift
These stores are not yet open but they promise an announcement on that in the coming weeks.
Right now, donations are accepted at the Chapel Hill thrift location, and the Carrboro donation center should reopen May 22.
The website outlines the rules for donating, which include no large furniture and a requirement that all donated items be boxed or bagged. All workers will wear masks and clean gloves when handling donated items.
Info: communityworxnc.org
HandMeUps Thrift Store
This Raleigh thrift store will reopen on June 1st. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The store will admit 20 customers at a time and face masks are required (masks must remain on while inside the store). HandMeUps is accepting donations 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Do not leave donations if the store is closed. HandMeUps provides employment opportunities to individuals with autism and other intellectual developmental disabilities.
Info: handmeupsthrift.org
FiFi’s Consignment
The designer consignment boutique has opened its locations at Cameron Village in Raleigh and in downtown Durham (the Carrboro location remains closed for now). Before reopening, FiFi’s sent an email to regular customers outlining their safety measures and social distancing guidelines. All employees and all customers are required to wear masks when they enter the stores. The store will provide masks (and gloves) to shoppers who do not have their own.
The store also notes that it is sanitizing and disinfecting between customers and consignors, and cleaning dressing rooms after each visit.
A reporter who visited the store recently noted that hand sanitizer was in use by employees and available to customers upon entry. Our reporter noted that when two young women walked into the store without masks and began browsing, an employee brought them back to the front door to get masks.
Info: fifisconsignmentboutique.com
Father and Son
This popular thrift/antique store, specializing in mid-century and vintage clothing, furniture and household items, is still closed. But the store promises that “shopping by appointment” is coming soon. In the meantime, you can purchase items they feature on Facebook and Instagram. Keep an eye on social media accounts for the start of appointment shopping and reopen dates.
Location: 302 S. West Street, Raleigh
Info: instagram.com/fatherandsonraleigh
This story was originally published May 20, 2020 at 8:00 AM.
