1st anniversary for Williamson shop

The Common Cents Thrift Shoppe on Main Street, Williamson, a program of the Wayne County Rural Ministry/Come-Unity Center, Inc., celebrated its first anniversary February 9, with carnations, desserts and coffee for customers, and free drawings for Beanie Babies and clothing.

The store, which drew 6302 customers its first year, provides used donated clothing for a basic price of 60 cents for most items and one dollar for dresses, jackets, coats, blazers, jeans and boots. Clothing is given to people in crisis, but anyone can shop at Common Cents.

Janis Thomason-Mussen, executive director of the Center, and the board of directors are extremely pleased with Common Cents' performance its first year in business. Store profit, after expenses, was $16,103, which will be used to support the Center's other programs of providing food, clothing and emergency financial assistance for people in need.

'That is an increase of nearly $3000 in net profit over what we earned from clothing when the store was upstairs in our main building,' she said. The Center's primary location is at 4095 West Main Street in Williamson.

Annual expenses involved in operating the store were $4,994.64.

Veronica Miller is the Common Cents manager.. 'So many people have told me they always wanted to use our thrift store, but just could not get up those stairs.' Now the store is accessible to all.

The town and schools are benefiting in unexpected ways. Williamson teachers and students have discovered that Miller is adept at putting together costumes for school plays and 'dress up' days. During the past year, she has turned area youth into everything from royalty to passengers on the Titanic. Neighboring village businesses are also seeing new customers as a result of the shop. Miller said when people from other towns visit Common Cents, they often browse the gift shops and stop at the diners.

On the first Tuesday of the month, everything sells for a dime. 'Customers usually have to wait in line just to get in the store, so we pass out numbers and suggest they go look around town or have coffee and come back in half an hour.'

Store hours are Tuesday - Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

top of page

Copyright © 2000
Courier-Gazette, 613 S. Main St. Newark, N.Y. 14513
All Rights Reserved