Northport Salvation Army Thrift Store To Close At End Of The Month

NORTHPORT, AL — Another longtime fixture along McFarland Boulevard will be closing its doors for good at the end of the month.

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Salvation Army Lieutenant Schelika Chisolm told Patch that the nonprofit's thrift store in the Buford Plaza development will soon close as the property owner seeks to further renovate the space currently occupied by the store.

The store is adjacent to the longtime grocery store that shares the building, which is currently a Meat Depot — part of the Fresh Value brand of stores.

Chisolm said July 21 will be the last shopping day, with the space having to be vacated by Aug. 1.

"We really need to look for a facility that will help us reach more people," she said. "The current facility is too small for the type of operation for what we really need to do. "Hopefully, we can find another space where we can do the type of outreach ministries we really need to do."

She went on to explain that proceeds from the Salvation Army Thrift Store go directly to the organization's homeless shelter, while the store also serves as a hub for clients to receive sufficient clothing and shoes.

The nonprofit has yet to find a new location — an effort Chisolm said will come down to availability, cost and space.

"Property is very expensive," she said. "We've been searching for the last six months and the previous officers had been searching. So it's been hard to find the right location, even if they fall within our square footage. We're hoping our client base will be committed to shopping wherever we relocate."

News of the closure comes less than a week after another nearby institution — Mr. Bill's Southern Diner — announced it would immediately close for good after more than three decades in the McFarland Boulevard plaza.

On the nonprofit side, the Salvation Army's former neighbor across the street, the West Alabama Food Bank, also recently moved from its former Northport location to a larger facility with Buffalo Rock in Tuscaloosa.

Chisolm said there are plans to find a new location for the thrift store, but it remains uncertain if that will be in Northport. Still, she said those looking to help the nonprofit can do so by coming to purchase the remaining items in the store.

The store is no longer accepting donations of items such as clothes, furniture, etc., but is always accepting monetary donations.

"We hope people will come to purchase things that are there so we can sell out on everything and be able to move our equipment into a storage facility in the hopes of leasing another facility soon," Chisholm said. "Help us not take any merchandise with us and continue to donate to the Salvation Army here in Tuscaloosa, because that helps us to keep the price down for our customers."

Click here to donate and to learn more about the Tuscaloosa Salvation Army.

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