TROSA opens 100,000 square foot mega thrift store in Durham
DURHAM (WTVD) -- The non-profit, TROSA has opened a second thrift store in Durham, and the first thing everyone seems to notice is that it is huge.
"It's extremely large," said Jeff Stern, TROSA's Director of Business Operations. "We have over 100,000 square feet of merchandise."
The store is located in what used to be a Walmart on Roxboro Street in Durham.
"It was a Walmart until 2009, and the building has been empty since then," said Stern. "We closed on the purchase 9 months ago."
Since then, staff members including Elgin Robinson have put a lot of work into the opening.
"I'm gaining work experience. I'm gaining self respect, self worth," said Robinson. "It's really been a blessing for me. It saved my life."
Robinson is about eight months into TROSA's two-year program for substance abusers. On-the-job training is just one part of the program. For him, helping to open the thrift store in what used to be a Walmart is sentimental.
"I got to work with Sam Walton," explained Robinson. "I opened several different Walmarts in the Southeast. I was a manager of Walmarts."
Now, Robinson works alongside dozens of others who are also in TROSA's program. They staff the thrift store which has thousands of items, many obtained as a direct result of TROSA's moving company.
"One of the big things with thrift is are you going to get enough donations and good donations?" explained Stern. "But, because of the moving company, we get really great donations. It runs the gamut from furniture, that's our big item. Almost half the store is furniture. But, we've got a lot of clothing. We have housewares of all kinds. We've got electronics, basically anything you would expect to find in the thrift store.
And, proceeds from every item sold in the thrift store goes back into helping to fund TROSA's program.
"Everything goes back into making the program run," said Stern.
A program that's not only helping shoppers save money, it's also helping employees like Elgin Robinson thrive.
For more information on TROSA's mega thrift store click HERE.
