STERLING – Happy Tails Humane Society’s fundraising efforts over the last 40 years have involved dollars and cents, but now will include clothes, knick-knacks, home decor and more.
The Rock Falls-based nonprofit animal shelter is having a grand opening for its Thrifty Outlet store from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at Bazaar Americana, 609 W. Third St.
Donations will be accepted, starting then.
Knowing how much money can come in on a consistent daily basis was one of the reasons to open the shop, shelter Director Donald Czyzyk said.
“We are always looking for funding to provide further services and intake more animals,” Czyzyk said. “We can take in more animals if we have an income source. By having the thrift store, we can have a daily income and be able to intake more animals, and save more lives.”
It costs $150 to $300 to take in an animal at the shelter, he said.
Happy Tails President Mark Razo talked with other animal shelter officials for fundraiser ideas, and found the thrift store concept to be a popular one.
“We spend a lot of time with fundraising,” Razo said. “We thought this would be another way to engage the community and get them to do spring cleaning, bring in their unwanted items, and know that it’s going to go to a good organization.”
Shelter officials also hope the additional revenue will allow them to provide more services and less expensive spays and neuters at Happy Tails’ veterinarian clinic at the shelter at 1401 McNeil Road in Rock Falls.
The shelter’s cat adoption center will expand into the store, making adoption available at the shelter from 8 a.m. to noon, and when the store is open during the afternoon.
Thrifty Outlet will be the only second-hand store in Whiteside or Lee County that is an outlet type – clothes will be sold by the pound, while other items will have four set prices.
Clothes, including name-brand items, are sorted on site and placed into bins on tables. The cost varies by how much one’s clothes weigh; four or five outfits could cost as little as $9, Czyzyk said.
Other items include toys, movies, books, drinking glasses and various lightweight household goods priced by a colored-sticker system.
Not accepted are TVs, mattresses and furniture that requires more than one person to carry.
The shelter’s new mobile adoption bus will be on site for the grand opening, which also will include a cookout and door prizes.
