Shoe Store's Demise Is Community's Gain, Thanks To Arbor Place

DOUGLASVILLE, GA – When a shoe store at Arbor Place Mall abruptly vacated their location, the mall made the quick decision to make a positive community impact from of a rare situation. The store left behind an entire store stocked with woman's accessories, men and women's clothing, and more than 4,000 pairs of brand new shoes.

Arbor Place reached out to Loving Hands Ministry and Crossroads Church and they both responded quickly to the opportunity. Both nonprofits brought volunteers, multiple trucks, a church van, and cars to collect the donation and transport the product to their respective locations.

The task of clearing the space was a large one, taking more than four hours and many trips back to the mall. Once the clearing was complete the organizations left with thousands of shoes, bags, fixtures, ladders, shelving, and more

Loving Hands Ministry - The organization plans to donate a portion of donations to local community members in need, and sell the remaining donation out of their thrift store. Loving Hands works closely with prison programs and women and children in domestic violence situations. They help those who qualify for assistance and help with items needed.

Crossroads Church - The church plans to use donations for community outreach. On the 2nd Saturday of each month the church distributes more than 15,000 lbs of food to the Douglasville community. In the month of July the church plans to donate distribute the more than 1,000 pairs of shoes and goods donated by Arbor Place.

"There's nothing that defines a community more than the relationships between its citizens, businesses and city officials," said Arbor Place Mall General Manager, Ted Martin. "Here at Arbor Place we value these relationships as they are at the core of our business and make us who we are. Having the opportunity to partner with local organizations and provide essentials for those in need further solidifies these relationships and makes Douglasville an even stronger community."

Photos courtesy Arbor Place Mall