Charity to open store on U.S. 19

Sales at the former Rooms To Go site will benefit the Salvation Army's adult rehabilitation center.

By JULIANNE WU

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 31, 2001

CLEARWATER -- The Salvation Army will open a new 15,000-square-foot thrift store Thursday in a building formerly occupied by Rooms To Go at 24400 U.S. 19 N, one block north of Sunset Point Road.

Maj. Charles Nowell said it will be the sixth Salvation Army store in the Pinellas-Pasco county area. Nowell is the administrator of the St. Petersburg-based adult rehabilitation center, which is the recipient of the thrift shops' proceeds.

The rehab center, which accommodates about 1,000 clients recovering from drug or alcohol addiction, costs about $5-million a year to operate, said Nowell. It draws men and women from throughout Pasco and Pinellas counties and provides them with food, clothing, shelter, counseling, educational classes and a spiritually based therapy program. All services are free to the clients.

As with all its stores, the Salvation Army's Clearwater store will feature a variety of goods, including used clothing, refurbished furniture, appliances and electronics. It will have 13 employees and be managed by Herman Bounds. Nowell, who has been the administrator of the Salvation Army's rehab center for the past 21/2 years, said a number of factors are considered before choosing a site for a thrift store.

"We go a lot with past experiences: what works, what doesn't. And, we talk to Realtors about the possible clientele in the area and look at what kind of traffic we might get," he said. "Of course, with U.S. 19 we don't have to worry about getting people to come and see us.

"We were actually looking for property farther north," he added. "But when this location became available, we decided it was right for us."

At 15,000 square feet, the new thrift store is not the largest in the county, said Nowell. But the hours -- 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. -- are slightly different from other stores the Salvation Army operates. "We tried to make the hours a little later in the morning and a little later at night to accommodate busy people."

In the next few months, Newell said, the Salvation Army is going to build a 25,000-square-foot store next to its facilities on 66th Street and 58th Avenue N in St. Petersburg.

Store opening

The area's newest Salvation Army thrift store will celebrate its official opening from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 24400 U.S. 19 N, Clearwater. Food, prizes and gift certificates will be offered. Normal operating hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed on Sundays. For information, call 541-7781 or 724-3913.

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