Flagler Humane Society thrift store on the move

Moving can be stressful but for Beth Thomas, manager of the Flagler Humane Society Thrift Store, scoring new digs has been a blessing.

Set for a soft opening Tuesday, Thomas and roughly 30 volunteers have spent the past three weeks moving the resale shop from St. Joe’s Plaza in Palm Coast to 480-A Palm Coast Parkway SW, next door to the Sherwin Williams paint store.

The new location offers nearly 2,000 additional square feet for Thomas and assistant manager Colin Ohlrich, who receive and sort donated items sold to help the Flagler Humane Society and the animals in the shelter under their care.

Thomas says the community is generous and the thrift store offerings are as eye-catching as the new location.

“It’s a great location and we love it,” she said. “We’re 100 percent run by volunteers and donations. The money goes 100 percent to the animals of the Flagler Humane Society, except for the overhead here, which is a win-win situation. We’ve got from A to Z. We have a large amount of donations that come in daily, and it’s all because of the donors and volunteers that makes this place a win situation.”

The additional space will allow for new perks that were lacking at the old location.

“The store before was a little under 7,000 square feet, a little tight and cramped for the amount of donations we’re getting in,” said Thomas. She said the added space in the new store will make it more accommodating for customers with disabilities.

"In our new store, we now have two changing rooms for the women and the men, which is great, so we don’t have to share a bathroom as a changing room, which is a big plus,” she said.

The clock was ticking as volunteers hung shelving and staged items for sale on Saturday. Melissa and Tom Rock, residents of Hastings and long-time volunteers with the shelter, helped with the effort.

“We like to keep our volunteering up and it’s a good organization for the community,” said Melissa Rock. “We like to help out where our roots come from. Tom has a lot of experience in retail and opening new stores,” she said.

Maria Sanhudo, president of the Flagler Humane Society’s board of directors, brought refreshments before getting to work. She’s excited about the location’s potential and grateful for those who give their time freely to make it work.

“We are so thrilled to be moving to this new location,” said Sanhudo. “The square footage is greater, the unit is beautiful and spacious and our new landlord is a huge advocate of animals. He is such a supporter that he decreased our rent by $2,000 a month. That’s $24,000 a year that goes back to caring for our furry friends.”