A group of dedicated congregation members from the Reinlander and Sommerfeld churches joined forces last summer to transform the former Sun Valley Tire building on Centre Ave. in Altona into the region’s newest thrift store.
The Faith in Christ Thrift Shop is now opened for business, with proceeds to be distributed to local charities and organizations.
“We’re focusing on local beneficiaries because there’s a lot of need in our area and many people that can be helped right here in our local communities,” said general manager Pete Friesen.
He notes the idea was born years ago.
“Two local farmers from each church talked about it. They had the idea, but that’s where it stayed.”
But after the tire shop building went on the market earlier this year, another church member put the idea back on the table, and both congregations began to give it some serious thought.
Friesen noted that the Altona MCC store and other thrift stores in the region all do good and much-needed work.
“But we want to focus on the needs right in our own community,” he said.
Their shared mission is to better their community and provide another place for people to donate their gently used items, and another place that can reach out and help those in need with the funds that come in.
After several meetings with members in each congregation, the dream began to take shape. Eventually, they concluded that churches shouldn’t run a business, so they decided to run it as a board and try to find investors.
“We said let’s see if we can get enough people on board to get this going,” Friesen said.
Unfortunately, during these deliberations, the building was sold to another individual.
“But he wanted to resell it. So, we offered him a reasonable price and he liked our idea for the place. So, we started looking for investors. It didn’t take long before we had about 14 investors on board.”
They’ve contemplated a variety of local charities and options for giving.
“The first ones we talked about were STARS, the local fire department, the food bank, and the Empty Stocking Fund,” shared Friesen.
Thanks to many volunteers with many skills, the old tire shop has undergone extensive renovations, including new roofing, siding, flooring, wiring, and lighting. The changes also include washrooms and change rooms. With about 7,600 square feet, the building has plenty of room to stock a wide range of items.
“People have been very generous with their donations,” Friesen said. “We’re getting a lot of stuff. We have enough to fill it twice. Everything from clothing, shoes, small appliances and electronics, you’ll find it here. We like to help people. I believe we’re facing some hard times, and stores like this will probably be very needed.”
Traffic has been steady since they opened their doors on Nov. 25, with regular drop offs.
Friesen says they’re always happy to welcome more volunteers, along with the 18 they already have.
“We want people to know that we’re here and we’re trying to serve the community. If you have something in storage that you don’t need, feel free to drop it off here.”
He notes that all items put up for sale follow current safety guidelines.
“We’re learning as we go. Everything here is priced to sell. If you’re looking for something, let us know and we’ll keep our eyes open. The people that donate help. The people that buy help. The volunteers help. It’s a win/ win situation for everybody.”
The Faith in Christ Thrift Shop is open Monday to Saturday.
