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PHOTO BY JOSHUA BESSEX
Clothes ill the racks at Coast Rehabilitation Thrift Store in Astoria.
and the thrift store has a steady stream of loyal
shoppers year-round.
The thrift store accepts most donations big
and small, including books, furniture, clothing
and appliances — though as with Deja Vu, no
baby strollers or car seats.
“We’ll take anything that we’re able to re-
sell,” Hocking says.
Items most needed are small appliances
such as toasters and microwaves, though
Hocking admits that it’s hard to turn things
away. “This community is very generous and
extremely receptive to the people I employ,” he
says. “That’s the best part of this for me.”
Another facet of the thrift store is helping
the community at large. To that end, CRS
partners with Clatsop Community Action
to provide 15 vouchers in the amount of 10
dollars each month to be redeemed at the thrift
store by those most in need.
Hocking adds that not only do his employ-
ees and shoppers beneit from the thrift store,
but also the community at large. “What comes
here stays in this community,” he says.
Reuse and recycle
The Reindery Reuse Store at CARTM in
Manzanita is an artist-designed resale mecca.
Its shelves brim with books, kitchenwares,
housewares, tools, toys and even vinyl albums.
The Reindery’s goal when seeking dona-
tions is simple: Bringing in your old stuff will
help reduce waste.
“The best use of materials is to reuse them
as they are at least one more time before they
get recycled or disposed of,” says Karen Red-
dick-Yurka, CARTM’s executive director.
The revenue generated at The Reindery goes
toward maintaining CARTM’s recycling efforts.
Reddick-Yurka says the store’s busiest
times are spring and summer when many of
the area’s second homeowners clean and refur-
nish their beach houses.
When it comes to the greatest needs The
Reindery has for inventory, Reddick-Yurka
says “the doors are open” for just about any
donations, excluding things like hazardous
materials and mattresses.
“As long as it’s clean and has some func-
tion, we’ll ind a home for it,” she says.
Items that don’t ind a home at The Reind-
ery are sent to the Gaia Foundation, which then
matches particular items with particular needs.
Locals make up the bulk of The Reindery’s
shoppers, including many area farm families.
In spring and summer, though, many folks
from Portland and Seattle can be found perus-
ing the shelves.
“We’re often one of the irst stops where lo-
cals bring their tourist friends to poke around,”
MAY 12, 2016 // 11
PHOTO BY JOSHUA BESSEX
PHOTO BY JOSHUA BESSEX
Books and dishware are shown on display at
Coast Rehabilitation Thrift Store in Astoria.
Wares at Deja Vu range from VHS tapes and
old televisions to kitchen supplies, trinkets
and clothing.
PHOTO BY DAN HAAG
PHOTO BY DAN HAAG
Donations to The Reindery in Manzanita en-
tice shoppers year-round.
The Reindery at CARTM in Manzanita proves
that one person’s trash is another’s treasure.
Reddick-Yurka says.
The decision to throw away old items rather
than bringing them to The Reindery for resale
boils down to sustainability: Does this item
best serve my community in a landill or at a
thrift store?
“It costs a lot of money and natural resourc-
es to manufacture things,” says Reddick-Yur-
ka. “By just throwing stuff in a landill, we
lose all of the stored energy and value it took to
produce it.”
poster bin for 25 cents,” she says. After some
research, it was found to be an original and
netted about a thousand dollars.
One person’s trash...
Every thrift store loyalist dreams of inding
the Magna Carta behind an old picture frame.
While that may not be reality, there are
plenty of cool items to be found on thrift shop
shelves.
Creel recently came across a working 1923
Underwood typewriter in near-perfect condi-
tion among Deja Vu’s donations. “We really
get some amazing stuff,” she says.
Hocking recalls the time when a woman
brought in a large, brand new sectional couch.
“She bought it for her dog, and he didn’t like
it,” he says with a laugh.
The CRS Thrift Store was able to re-sell the
couch at a premium price.
The Reindery lists their “Pick of The
Week” on their Facebook page and has seen
everything from antique beer steins to a fenc-
ing épée.
Reddick-Yurka recalls a poster from one of
Jimi Hendrix’s irst concerts. “We were going
to stick it in the
No more excuses
Beyond thrift stores and nonproits, there
are many other organizations seeking donated
items: libraries, churches and animal shelters.
Avoiding spring cleaning actually does lo-
cal communities a disservice. You can’t even
use the excuse that carting stuff to a thrift
store takes too much time: Most of them —
including Deja Vu, CRS, and The Reindery
— offer pick up and delivery service.
They also provide handy tax deduction
receipts.
In other words, roll up your sleeves and
dig in.
O LD
DONATE YOUR CAL
ITEMS TO A LO
THRIFT STORE
ne
Store, 1389 Dua
Deja Vu Thrift
24
3-325-86
St., Astoria, 50
St.,
e, 207 Seventh
CRS Thrift Stor
5-1011
Astoria, 503-32
indery, 34995
CARTM & The Re , Manzanita,
Road
Necarney City
503-368-7764