By Chad Koenen

Publisher

One of Henning’s busiest downtown retail spaces has a new non-profit overseeing its operation, which could lead to a unique opportunity to benefit the community as a whole.

On Friday morning, ownership of the Salvation Army thrift store in Henning was transfered to a new non-profit known as the Henning Community Thrift Store. The transfer has been in the works for much of the year as the Salvation Army closed the Fergus Falls store earlier this year, but kept the store in Henning running while it worked out the details with a group of local residents who formed a non-profit to operate the store. After months of planning and organization, the official transfer of the Salvation Army thrift store in Henning took place on Friday morning. 

“Realizing the importance of the store to the community, they came up with the thought of handing it over lock, stock and barrel, to a local non-profit with a similar thought in mind of providing the service to the community,” said Dan Broten. “By having a community store, instead of the Salvation Army, we can keep the money in town.”

Lt. Joshua Bowyer of the Salvation Army, who was in attendance for the official transfer of the building from the Salvation Army to the Henning Community Thrift Store last Friday, said this is the only time he is aware that the Salvation Army has transferred a thrift store to another non-profit with a similar mission. However, he is hoping Henning could be a model for future Salvation Army thrift stores that could be transfered to local non-profit groups when needed.

“We wanted it to continue, that was our goal and to go to a group that had a similar goal in the community,” said Bowyer. “It’s the only time I’ve seen it happen like this and I hope there are more in the future too.” 

The Henning Salvation Army has been in the Henning community for approximately 25 years. The store originally opened after Alfred “Bud” Johnson, of Henning, left more than $350,000 of his estate to the Fergus Falls Salvation Army in 1998. Johnson served in Africa and Europe during World War II and left the money to the Fergus Falls organization in appreciation of the services the Salvation Army provided for himself and his fellow troops. The money will be used to help purchase a new building for the Salvation Army at its future site on Vernon Avenue.

In addition to the Fergus Falls store, the Salvation Army opened a small thrift store located next to First National Bank in Henning and later next to the Citizen’s Advocate and Scotty’s Upholstery in downtown Henning.

Over the years, Bowyer said the local store has become more than just a place to get gently worn clothes and furniture, it has become a vital meeting place with volunteers and customers in the community.

“It’s more than a store too, it’s a place where people come to hang out,” he said. 

In order to operate the Henning Community Thrift Store, a new non-profit was formed earlier this year with the hopes of running a thrift store in Henning should that time ever come to fruition. The non-profit will be operated by a board of directors. 

Volunteers will be needed to keep the store operational, similar to what has been done in the past with the Salvation Army. Broten said the hope would be to keep long-time employee Vickie Goodale on staff if the money can sustain paid employees. Profits from the local thrift store will be kept in the community to support local causes, similar to what is being done with the proceeds from the Henning Haunted House, as well as potentially be given back to some of the organizations that provide volunteers to work at the facility. 

“The idea is to get the area churches involved. They could maybe provide a volunteer or two per week,” said Broten earlier this year of transitioning the store into a locally run establishment. “We could maybe be open more and if it is a Henning store all of the money would stay in Henning.”

Previously, a portion of the money generated at the local thrift store benefited Salvation Army programs and causes. However, the new local non-profit will keep the money in town, which Broten hopes will lead to a renewed interest in not only supporting the thrift store through sales, but volunteers as well as the group is a non-profit and donations made to the store are tax deductible. 

Broten said the plan is to be open from Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the goal of expanding the hours and days open in the future if demand warrants a change. 

Volunteers are needed to keep the store running and anyone who is interested in helping to organize new items donated to the store, help customers and put items out for sale, can contact the store directly at 548-3200. The board running the new local non-profit is also planning to talk to local churches and organizations in the community with the hope of increasing its volunteer base to keep the store open as well. 

In addition to volunteers, donated items are also needed at the store with the proceeds now benefiting the Henning community. Donations can be made during regular hours at the Henning Community Thrift Store. Items can include everything from household items, clothing, games, decorations and much more.