Image Credit: CFJC Today / Jill Sperling

By Jill Sperling

Closing up Shop

Salvation Army closes its Kamloops thrift store

Sep 8, 2020 | 11:58 AM

KAMLOOPS — The Salvation Army is permanently closing its thrift store in Kamloops.

The store was initially closed in March when the COVID-19 pandemic caused many Kamloops businesses to temporarily close. Since then, Cpt. Cory Fifield says the Salvation Army has been trying to determine the feasibility of reopening.

“When we closed in March, we didn’t know if we would be closed for days, weeks, months,” he said. “And, of course, nobody could foresee how much this pandemic would impact our community and our businesses. We just had to take it one day, one month at a time, and as time dragged on, we realized that this was going to last longer than anybody hoped it would or dreamed it would and unfortunately the impact has been such that we were left with no other choice but to make this difficult decision.”

Since the store is permanently closing, it will be unable to accept any more donations.

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The store’s closure means staff members have been let go. Cpt. Kelly Fifield says this move does not impact any of the other services the Salvation Army currently provides in Kamloops.

“Everything else that we do, all of our family services programming, all of our church programming, it’s still happening,” she said. “Just because our store is closing, our ministry unit as a whole is still here and still functioning. So, if anyone is still wondering what we’re doing, how they can be helped or how they can help and support us, how they can continue to do that going forward, I would just encourage them, give our office a call.”

The Salvation Army is in need of volunteers to help pack up the store. If you are interested please call their office at 250-554-1611.