MILLINOCKET — In December of last year, the unemployment rate in Millinocket stood at 18.6 percent, in East Millinocket at 15.4 percent and in Medway at 15.5. So, it should come as no surprise that stretching one’s budget is a difficult task for many area residents these days.
For more than 30 years St. Martin’s Thrift Store has been helping Katahdin area people make their dollars go further when it comes to buying clothes for the family, or furniture, or books or knickknacks.
To increase opportunities for people to shop the store at 112 Maine Ave., Millinocket, St. Martin’s Thrift Store will hold a Saturday opening on March 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This “Swing into Spring” event, in addition to providing more shopping opportunities, will introduce St. Martin’s line of gently used spring and summer wear. Normally the store is open only on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
As an added attraction the store will award two separate $25 shopping spree certificates redeemable on both levels of the store. There will be unannounced specials throughout the store.
Approximately 25 volunteers staff the store, sorting, racking and performing other tasks that make the store run smoothly. Many of those same people will be on hand March 16 to help customers.
There is a double benefit to the store’s operation. Proceeds, after expenses, help to support St. Martin’s Emergency Fuel Fund and St. Martin’s Food Pantry. So far this winter the fuel fund provided 7,800 gallons of fuel to the needy. The dollar equivalent comes to $28,000.
The importance of the food pantry to the area is demonstrated by the fact the food pantry gave out 1,080 pounds of food in January.
Almost everything that is donated to the store is used in some fashion. Clothing, shoes, linens, handbags, etc., which prove to be unsuitable to put out for sale are recycled, generating additional revenue. The same holds true of metals.
Customers who shop St. Martin’s Thrift Store come from a wide area including Houlton, Bucksport, Bangor, Augusta, Lewiston, Brunswick and beyond. The store even had a shopper from Tennessee.
