Iowa's Largest Salvation Army Thrift Store Opens in Des Moines on June 1 (Blog)

Iowa's largest Salvation Army Thrift Store will open in Des Moines on Saturday, June 1. The new 27,000 square foot store at 4620 S.E 14th Street is more than twice as large as the current Southeast 14th Street store.

The next largest Salvation Army Thrift Store in Iowa is a 22,000 square foot facility in Council Bluffs.

Salvation Army Thrift Stores in the Des Moines metro are operated by the organization's Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) at 133 E. Second Street in Des Moines. Proceeds from the stores finance the operation of an intensive residential treatment program for men with drug and alcohol addictions.

Major Tim Miller, administrator of the local ARC, said a grand opening is planned for the new store on June 1 with a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m.

Shoppers will find more inventory and more sections, accord to Miller. "For example," Miller said, "where we had five racks of women's pants in the old store we will now have 25 racks of women's pants, sorted by color.

The new store will be a donation site and features a covered receiving area on the north side of the new building. The donation site will be staffed full time.

Staffing for the new store will include four full time employees and 12 part time as well as the services of 10 men enrolled in the rehab program. Volunteers will round out the staffing. Shane Dudley will manage the new store which will be open from 9 a.m.to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

The site of the new store has undergone extensive remodeling and features new fixtures.

Looking down the road, Major Miller said he would like to open a thrift store on the west side of Des Moines. Ames has been without a Salvation Army Thrift Store for nearly a year. Miller said they are actively looking for a location in Ames.