AVON LAKE, Ohio — While we may be paying more for certain items right now or having trouble finding them altogether, there is apparently an upside to the ongoing supply chain issue.
You can find the silver lining at the Good Neighbor Thrift Shop in Avon Lake.
The pandemic has helped keep the racks and shelves there stocked.
"People had a lot of time on their hands, so we definitely had a lot of donations," said store manager Kristen Leprevost.
However, as quick as shirts, coats, gloves, and home goods come in – out they go.
"I will say we have noticed an increase in sales this year," said Leprevost.
For more than four decades, the Avon Lake United Church of Christ has used profits from this store to fund its mission work.
"The proceeds of our shop go to local and national charities as well," said Leprevost.
While COVID is driving a surge in donated items, we know the fallout from the virus is depleting inventories elsewhere, "because of all the uncertainty with a lot of the supply chain issues," said Leprevost.
Now more customers are showing up at Good Neighbor, trying to find those must-have items.
"Some of the big box stores don't always have what they need anymore," said Leprevost.
As retailers continue to scramble, consumers are being encouraged to start that holiday shopping early, or in this case, turn to alternatives like thrift stores.
"We've really had a lot of people coming in that are looking to save money and they know that we have different items all the time for gifts and different things. We've had a very busy year, both with donations and with shoppers coming in. It's been great," said Leprevost.
