Finding bargains and that human touch at Treasure Shop

NORTH CANAAN — Next to the stately stone Christ Church is its parish house and fellowship hall.  

Around the back of the parish house and down a short flight of stairs is a modest door that hides a surprise. Signs lead the way to the Treasure Shop —  and indeed this hidden jewel of a second-hand shop is like a buried treasure.

For patrons, entering the shop means the hunt is on. Volunteers smile knowingly. Their eyes twinkle as they promise that there are amazing things to be found, from unusual collectors items to designer clothing.

Thanks to  a “pickyâ€� team of volunteers, visitors don’t need to sift through dross to find gold. Everything here is someone’s idea of a great find, whether it’s a fantastic vintage overcoat, a pile of “retroâ€� dinnerware or a classic board game that’s still in good condition.

“Everything is somebody’s treasure,� said Sylvia Nielsen, who is the doyenne of the volunteers; she’s been here for 20 years, and counting. She doesn’t care for titles, but she used to be the director. She is now at the shop every week as the inventory floor manager.

Fierce competition for floor space

It’s all about making decisions, she said.

She spends much of her time in the cramped storage room, where items await their chance to be put on display — or not.

“I have to decide if it’s likely to sell here or not,� she said. “There’s no point in taking up space out on the floor with something we know won’t sell. The name of the game is to get stuff in and out.

“For instance, we get lots of lovely, tailored and lined skirts and dresses. But no one here buys them. This is a blue collar town and people dress more for comfort. We send the dressier things to the Bargain Barn in Sharon, where they tend to sell.�

But that doesn’t mean comfortable clothing with panache can’t be found at the Treasure Shop. In-demand items include shirts and coats with labels bearing names such as Giorgio Armani, Liz Claiborne and Ralph Lauren.

But a fancy name isn’t enough to guarantee an item will make it to the store floor. First priority is serving the needs of the community, the volunteers agree.

The shop opened in 1955, when the congregation approved an idea put forth by their priest, the Rev. Blaikie. He simply wanted people to be able to buy good clothes at good prices, and earn a little extra money for the church. It was his wife who took on the project. First-day sales totaled $250.

The goal has remained the same. Volunteers often open the shop on Monday evenings so people attending AA meetings upstairs can come and shop. They work with the town social worker to supply families in need.

When there is a crisis, such as when a family loses everything in a fire, the church opens the doors and lets them take whatever they need.

That kind of decision, the decision to help people in need, is an easy one.

Got a buck? Get a shirt

Pricing the items in the store, well, that’s not so easy. How much should that designer shirt sell for? How about a dollar? Shoes are a dollar, too. Coats can be priced as “high� as $5. Most everything else in the shop is a dollar or less.

 Nielsen said the store averages about $100 a week in sales. Which is impressive, considering the store is only open for six hours a week (Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.).

“That’s $100 worth of 25-cent and dollar sales,� Nielsen said.

Business is hopping at the shop, and picking up pace. In 2007 it made about $6,000. In 2008 that number jumped to about $7,000. It’s clear to the volunteers that it’s because of the recession.

The shop also helps keep the church afloat during even these difficult times.

“We’re a small congregation,� Nielsen said, “and we’re getting smaller, just like every church. It’s hard to do fundraisers like dinners. The shop takes away some of the burden.�

There are many ways the shop has  benefitted the community.

“People don’t like to throw stuff out. They like to think their things might still be used, and that they can get a receipt for a tax credit. We’re getting  better quality items,â€� said volunteer Frances Ruff, who knows about things like china and silver. “People are inheriting these things that they will never use, so they donate them.â€�

Don’t expect to find a silver tea service for a buck though. The volunteers are savvy about value and will often send higher quality items out to other venues. An antiques dealer regularly sells items on consignment for the shop. The volunteers have even sold some things on eBay. An unusual chandelier, for instance, recently netted $75 at the Internet auction site.

Nielsen recently rescued an old doll she suspected was a treasure.

“It was in very sad condition, but it was very large, with a china head and leather arms. I had a hunch about it, so we took it to a doll doctor to be repaired. A collector bought it for $175.�

When asked about the more unusual items they see, the volunteers hesitate. There are so many. Like the Japanese sword currently secured away. The shop’s new director, Abby Salaway, is sure it is valuable; she even saw an ad last week in The Journal from someone looking to buy Japanese swords. She plans to call.

Human connections are made, too

As intriguing as the items are, so too are the stories that often accompany them.    

Nielsen recalled a family who came to the shop and donated the clothing of a deceased relative.

She was surprised to find that the belt was still threaded through the loops on one pair of his pants. She checked the pockets and found a wallet. Wanting a witness, she went to the town clerk’s office to look through it. They found a driver’s license, credit cards and $160.

“We tracked down the executor. They had been looking for the credit cards and were very happy to have them back. They gave us a $100 reward.�

Salaway recalled her own vintage Omega watch. It didn’t run and she was told it needed a $1,200 restoration. She didn’t want to spend that kind of money on it, so she put it out at the shop for $5, thinking a collector might want it.

She ran into a patron one day, who showed her the treasure she now wears on her wrist. It was keeping perfect time.

“It never occurred to me to wind it,� Salaway said, laughing at the absurd oversight.

How does she feel about giving away something so valuable?

“She loves the watch and wears it all the time. She comes back here to shop all the time because she got such a great bargain. I feel very good about it.�

The shop has given church members an unplanned opportunity for outreach, too.

“People come in and say they are so happy we are still here,� said Anna McGuire, “because they used to get their kids’ clothes here. There’s a continuity that people like.�

And then there are those folks who not only need the bargains, but also need someone to talk to.

“People come and browse and talk,� said Nielsen. “They are lonely, or facing surgery or something that weighs heavy on them. They sit and talk with us, and that’s fine. We’re happy to be here for them.�

The Treasure Shop is always grateful for volunteers and donations of items for sale.

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