By Susan Gibson
TARA Community Center
The TARA Community Thrift Store is having its grand opening on Saturday, April 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Regular hours after the opening will be 10 a.m. to noon, Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The store is located on the nonprofit TARA Community Center grounds, next to the playground, and all proceeds will benefit TARA. It has been a year in the making, involving renovation of an old, donated bunkhouse that had a brief time as a small library. The library moved and expanded to the lower level of the TARA Center a couple of years ago. Renovation of the bunkhouse began early in 2020.
Between grants and donations from the community, the repurposing for a thrift store took shape with insulation, new windows, new doors, new flooring, new lighting, outside painting and other improvements. Recent activity has been to reconfigure the wooden deck and steps to a different position and to install a new, aluminum handicap access ramp for walker and wheelchair access.
“It is designed to be an affordable, local place for people in Arboles and the surrounding area to shop,” said Susan Gibson, Thrift Store coordinator.
The small store is well stocked with a “little of everything,” said Gibson.
“Larger items, like lamps, furniture, shelving, garage and car maintenance items, etc. will be showcased in photos and brought to the store, upon request, for purchase,” added Gibson.
