By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
The community was shocked two years ago when a fire at Beyond the Blue Box forced the thrift store out of its location on Covert Street.
Retail operations resumed at the site, with sales in a barn structure and at a separate building they operated as a boutique. It now seems that walls will begin to go up to replace the former store that fronted directly on Covert Street.
Executive Director Jane Stevenson Hawthorne said the delay had to do with the lengthy process of dealing with the insurance company. She describes this process as “promising,” but another complication arose having to do with their location right next to Midtown Creek.
The retaining wall will have to be replaced, a $919,000 item that measures 156 ft. long, 16 in. wide and 7.5 ft. tall.
The structure that was Beyond The Blue Box, previously a lumber yard, has been on that site for more than a century. The retaining wall is a similar age, and had reached the end of its useful life.
“It’s huge, and it’s necessary to keep the creek moving along,” Stevenson Hawthorne said.
“It’s a beautiful wall that’s not going to do anything except enhance the beauty of the creek.”
Fundraising Committee Chair Kendra Simmons has shifted into high gear as plans proceed.
“It doesn’t look like we have been doing anything, but we have – we’re getting our ducks in a row,” Simmons said.
They are planning appeals to get donations for all this, as well as applying for grants. The eroding retaining wall had to be addressed first, then the rebuilding – but that’s not all.
“We need to do a whole new point-of-sale system, with training for volunteers, plus fixtures – all kinds of things beyond the building,” Simmons listed.
And while the main structure remains unbuilt, they can’t generate the volume of sales they once did.
Simmons refers to their customer base as “an invisible community.” They give away a fair bit of their merchandise to local social-service agencies. As for what remains on the shelf, their shoppers tend to be low-barrier, high-risk, low-income people who can’t be approached for donations when they struggle to shell out $10 for their children’s clothes.
And while their donors contribute good quality merchandise for store shelves, they are not always in a position to donate actual dollars as well.
Appeals are shaping up, grant applications are in, Simmons said. You will be hearing from them.
Meanwhile, at the site, Stevenson Hawthorne reports that a wall was delivered this week – “the wall that is going on the footings so they can backfill. It will be going up Tuesday.
“You are going to see that space fill in. Things are starting to happen.”
Donations of goods are being accepted as they operate two stores on-site – the boutique and the barn.
And soon, if all goes well, the Christmas store will be ready to go.
As for the new year, Stevenson Hawthorne said, “I talked to the builder – he said if everything goes as planned it should be up by May.”
