The Good Shepherd Alliance Thrift Store

Thrift Store looking for help

2008-07-17T18:07:00.001-07:00

Folks, the thrift store in Sterling is in need of some help. We are looking to hire. See a cashier at the front for an application. Be aware in order for me to even consider your application you must fill out the release form to allow us to do a preliminarybackground check. A fingerprint background check will also be required if hired.
Mary Fittro
Store Manager

Sterling Phones are working again 703-444-5956

2008-07-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

Folks,
We straighten out the mess with the phones and the Sterling Thrift Store Phones are working once again. So dial 703-444-5956 if you need help. The phones might go to a fax tone if someone is on the regular line. If that happens wait about 10 min and try again.
Store hours 11-7 mon-sat
donation hours 11-6 mon-sat
Mary

Yes the store is still open - We've had issues with phones

2008-07-08T05:33:00.000-07:00

Folks,
If you've tried calling our main store number it's either rung busy or rang into Ashburn. Of course neither Verizon or Cavelier want to fess up to who screwed up. Altough I got to credit them both with expediting my service request to put the line back. IN the meantime if you really need to reach the thrift store you can call 703-433-2641. But this line is used for other purposes and cannot me tied up for long periods of time. So don't think we're being rude when we try to end the call as quickly as possible. We just need to run a credit card transaction through or need to receive a fax.
Thanks for all you understanding and patience.
Store hours remain the same
Monday thru Sat 11- 7
with donation hours 11-6 each day we're open
We are a faith based organization so we are not open on Sunday.
Mary

Sterling is still open and will remain open until end of the year.

2008-07-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

Folks,
I know the news articles all talk about us shutting this store down and going to Ashburn that WILL NOT HAPPEN until the end of the year.So you can continue to shop and drop your donations in Sterling until the end of this year.
Mary

Good News for Sterling

2008-06-24T04:47:00.000-07:00

Folks, looks like we're going to be able to keep the store in Sterling until the end of this year. If sales go up like they have been we might be able to stay beyond that. But for right now we are scheduled to be open until DEC 2008. So keep shopping and dropping off the donations.

BTW- Here's a shot of the new facility in Ashburn where Hope's Treasures (our other store will have it's permanent home). Hope's Treasures is now open in Ashburn temporarily in the shopping plaza right next door. As soon as the last piece of the puzzle is in place we'll be moving HT into it's permanent location. Did I confuse you?
Anyhow thanks to all the folks in sterling who have stepped up and purchased from us, this has helped us stay in Sterling.
Mary

Sale of the day

2008-06-04T04:46:00.000-07:00

I've pulled out the crystal ball and foresee a luggage sale. So for all those traveling now is the time to pick up your extra pieces of luggage.
Pricing to be determined but it will be at least half off all luggage and tote bags. Sale will not include purses or handbags.
Mary

Yard Sale Season

2008-06-04T04:31:00.000-07:00

Is spending all you time going from yard sale to yard sale draining your energy and your wallet. Then your first stop should be our stores. You know about the big one in Countryside(Regal Center Plaza) but did you know about the one in Ashburn. We have a temporary store set up in the 7-11 plaza just next door to where our new permanent home will be. The address there is 20630 Ashburn Road Unit 183. It's named Hope's Treasures and is open 11-7 Tues-Frid and 9-5 on Sat.But this store is straight retail and does not accept donations.

The main store in Sterling is open for business Mon- Sat 11-7 and takes donations 11-6. We sometimes get there before 11 and will take your donations if we are there.

Remember to check the list on the main website (http://www.loudounhomeless.org/) for donation do's and don'ts.

STORE DONATION HOURS EXPANDED

2008-06-03T05:21:00.000-07:00

Folks,
you heard it right. We now take donations from 11am to 6pm Monday- Saturday. Just check our website at www.loudounhomeless.org to see what we take and do not take.
Mary
FYI - yes the Sterling site is still open and will be open for several months. Keep an eye on this blog or the above mention website for when/if we close.

YES we are still taking donations in Sterling.

2008-05-05T06:37:00.000-07:00

Folks,
As you might have heard we are moving. BUT not yet. Our location in Sterling at the Regal Center Plaza is still open and operating. See post below on specifics or check the website at www.loudounhomeless.org for more info.
Our building in Ashburn is scheduled for completion mid June - but then again this is the 5th different date we've been given since we started a year ago. So keep an eye on this blog and our website listed above. Put yourself on our email /mailing list. You will be notified when the change is happening.
Be sure to visit our temporary store in the 7-11 plaza in OLD ASHBURN. Check the website for our new store at www.hopestreasures.org. This location is only temporary and does not take donations of any kind.
Mary

How to Donate

2008-05-05T06:16:00.000-07:00

Folks,
Just a reminder. Since yard sale season is upon us,I thought it wise to have a chat about the do's and don'ts of donating to our store.
Donation hours - Mon thru Thur we take donations 11am to 6pm.
Friday and Sat we take from 11am to 3pm.
Please arrange to arrive during those times so you not disappointed and left with a car load of donations.
It's not that we don't want our things, you have to remember Sterling is a leased spot and we have to leave it clean when we leave at night. Even if you only have one bag the 6 cars just pulling in will have more and it will never end. We have to establish limits. We only have a skeleton crew. Right now we are paying a mortgage and rent. So we are cutting cost wherever we can to still make money for our programs.
With all that said he's some general guidelines
- there is a sign posted at the drop off site - this list specific items we seem to get dumped on us and we don't have any use for these items, so they go in the trash. If it's on that list please don not disguise it and leave.That load of toys will go in the trash as well as the old time computer monitors.
-this list is not all of the items we do not take. Ask an associate BEFORE you start unloading.
-please separate breakables from clothing. - Nothing worse then reaching a bag and getting your hand sliced open on a broken piece of glass. Clothing gets tossed into a pile to get sorted later.
-if it's been in your basement and you have a damp basement - do not bring anything from there to us. I have seen at least one employee turn blue because of the mold. I know I have allergies and the one thing I can smell across the parking lot is mold and mildew. So if any employee asks if this has been stored in he basement, it's probably because thy have smelled it and will not take it.
- it should go without saying that we do not take anything wet, soiled, broken,missing pieces. But we still fill 2 dumspters every weekend with this type of stuff.
Folks check our website at www.loudounhomeless.org and click on the donation link guide. It will give you a really good idea of what we take and don't take.
We appreciate your donations. And look forward to seeing you.
Mary in Sterling
One more thing - never leave stuff after hours - it just gets stolen before we ever get to it. And it just ticks off the neighbors.

Bag Sale Children's Clothes

2008-04-11T05:59:00.000-07:00

Folks, looks like thrift store is overrun with kids clothings. So they are having a bag sale. What does this mean..It means what ever childrens clothing you can fit into a bag is sold at one price. You'll have to check the store for the start day but it might possiblely be today Friday April 11th or as late as tommorrow. You'll have to check the store for price.
It's worth stopping.
They have tables full of childrens clothing.
Mary

Sorry,I've been away and now I've opened a new store

2008-04-04T19:51:00.001-07:00

Folks, thanks for reading this blog. I've been really, really busy lately. We opened a second site called Hope's Treasures in Ashburn right next door to the property we are in the process of renovating. I'm on that site now until we move in the finished building. So this blog own't be updated as often. I can tell you that the thrift store is still operating and taking donation until we finish that building. I can't take any donations on site in ashburn so I send everyone to Sterling. The store will start to look empty but that's just because we need to get rid of some of the fixtures that we are not takin with us. I have takin quite a few to the new store already. Stop by and say hi.
Mary

Hope's Treasures MAY be opening soon

2008-03-05T05:26:00.000-08:00

Keep watching this blog. I can't give full details yet. But we may have a location to put our RETAIL store HOPE'S TREASURES. This location will only serve as a retail outlet and not a donation drop off.
WE WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY DONATIONS ONSITE AT ALL. THERE WILL NOT BE ANY EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE.
It will be filled with many new treasures.
Mary

Brand NEW Toasters for sale NOW

2008-03-01T05:24:00.000-08:00

And not just any toaster. These add and image to your toast. They are selling for $10 each. They make great gifts. Get yours now. They will sell fast today.

Mary

Children's Clothes

2008-02-25T05:38:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, I got a batch of almost 100 pieces of children's 2 pc fleece type material outfits. These were brand new on hangers and they are selling like hotcakes. They are $5 for the set.
Mary

Remembering my New Years Resolution

2008-02-25T05:36:00.001-08:00

Today, I'm remembering my New Year's Resolution.

"To become more tolerate of the ignorate people of this world"

Mary

PS. Especially as I drive to work

Yes, we're still in Sterling

2008-02-23T05:46:00.000-08:00

Folks,
I'm still in Sterling taking donations. Ashburn is still in progress and won't be ready for another couple of months.
So feel free to visit our main website and check out the donation quidelines page.
Mary

More than your average thrift store

2008-02-23T05:17:00.000-08:00

The Good Shepherd Alliance Thrift store is more than you average thrift store. The days of the thrift store being a dumpy little hole offering up someones well worn jeans are gone. Our thrift store offers up only the best bargain for your money. You shouldn't find many Walmart, Target brands on our floors. Instead you find a vast assortment of designer label clothing for a fraction of the original cost. I often have moms dragging their disinterested teens into the store, only to have them find more stuff then mom does.
Value is the name of the game these days.Everyone is looking to save money.With soaring gas prices and property taxes every one's looking to save money. My clientele at the thrift store is an eclectic mix of individuals. Most have nice paying jobs and live in nice homes and drive nice cars. This is one of the misconceptions people have about thrift stores, that it attracts only low income people.Well my customers would beg to differ. I have alot of retirees also that haunt the store daily looking for that special collectible.
With that said I must also tell you about the other portion of our thrift store. Not only does it provide clothing to all our shelter guest but it also is a valuable community resource. The voucher system was in place before I got here. I've just tweaked it along the way.This year we got a big bonus when Wegman's stepped up to the plate and offered gift cards to those referrals coming out of the school system.We get referrals from everywhere. Any Loudoun County Social service, churches,schools. This is an important aspect to why we are here.
On those times when things are not going right and it looks like the whole world is against us, it only takes someone in need to come and get what they need. And it all falls into place when they turn to you and say thanks....
Mary

Thrift Store Needs Quart Canning Jars

2008-02-21T09:47:00.000-08:00

Folks,for a special item I'm prepping for sale I need a about 100 canning jars. But they have to be the quart size or they won't work for my project. I'd love to have the lids too.They can be dropped off anytime we have donation hours.
Thanks in advance
Mary

Perfect answer for Valentine's you forgot.

2008-02-14T04:53:00.000-08:00

Did you forget your Valentine or get stuck at home yesterday?
Here's the perfect answer. Make a donation to GSA to benefit it's shelter programs.
Instead of flowers or candy donate money in their name to our shelter programs. The link takes you to a secure website.
Donate now to honor your Valentine
Remember money donated to GSA doesn't get used for Thrift Store operations. The thrift store generates all it's own money to pay expenses and then sends money back to GSA.

Have you bought your Valentine her gift?

2008-02-12T05:24:00.001-08:00

Here's some suggestions from us.

-we have a huge variety of jewelry available. See one of our sales associates for all the latest incoming jewelry.

Also don't forget we have a number of pieces of fine jewelry from "a greater gift" these are items made oversees and are what I call "feel good" gifts. not only are you helping the homeless in Loudoun County but your purchase also helps the artist in these developing nations get a fair wage for their talents.

Stop in today to see what's available

Mary

Purcellvile Baptist Church - youth group spends an afternoon with the GSA thrift store

2008-02-10T09:10:00.000-08:00

Hey all, if you happened upon the thrift store on Saturday you would have noticed all the young people in the store. these young people were from the Purceville Baptist Church. As part of the Discipline Now weekend. The kids all spend several hours on Saturday making a difference in the community. I had the pleasure of hosting 15 of the young ladies in the thrift store. They made a tremendous difference in how the store looked. They even helped us put together the scripture survival kits that I will have for sale later this week. I can't thank them enough for the hard work they put into that afternoon. I would love to bottle the energy they exhibit when going about work like this. Many thanks again to Purcellville Baptist Church. They are just ONE of a growing number of churches who have stepped up and asked how they can help. We couldn't do the work we go without the support of the community. thanks again Mary

Click on pix below to take you to all the pictures I shot at Feb 9th at thrift store.

Purcellville Baptist Church - Youth Group

Dollar Days in Children's clothing Sat Feb9th

2008-02-09T05:38:00.001-08:00

Folks,
Childrens Clothing are all $1 each. Today Saturday Feb 9th only 11am-7pm
We have way too many childrens clothing to hang right now.
-only childrens clothing - no shoes or other items are in included in sale Childrens clothing sizes are from o-3 month all the way up to size 12.
Mary

Childrens Clothing BAG Sale is coming to Thrift Store

2008-02-06T18:13:00.001-08:00

Yell it from the roof tops, pass the word along. On Friday Morning we open at 11am for our 1st Annual Children's Clothing Bag Sale. We provide the bags you provide the will power and stamina to root thru 60' of rack space and several tables full of bins. All with children's clothing. Mostly winter there may be some spring mixed in the bunch. If it's out in the sales area it's up for grabs.
We have way too many childrens clothing to hang right now.
Here's the ground rules:
- bags are provide by us. This makes it fair to everyone.
-You may double bag at double the cost.
-bag must tie up
-only childrens clothing - no shoes or other items are in this bag sale. Childrens clothing sizes are from o-3 month all the way up to size 12.
-you must bring your bag to cashier and they WILL go through the contents of your bag to make sure you didn't get your regular purchases mixed in the bag.
The doors opne promptly at 11am remember be kind and no running.
Check store for additional rules that might come up before sale on Friday Feb 8th.
This is a one day only sale (Friday Feb 8th 2008) and will not be repeated in this location this year.
Mary

Are you a Nascar Fan?

2008-02-04T19:47:00.000-08:00

I just discovered racing over a year and a half ago. I love it.Anyhow as we are in constant cleanout mode I just came across 3 Nascar jackets. I must have been holding them for auction last year. But I didn't uncover them in time.Here's what I got:

These are oldies because 2 feature Mark Martin in sponser that he no longer drives for ( I think).

Anyhow they are not out on the floor and you will have to ask for them. They are $35 each. Remember sales help us support our homeless shelters. they are all Large's

Mary