The Salvation Army USA

I have been going to the Salvation Army thrift store religiously on my lunch hour almost daily since they opened their new location in Traverse City, Michigan on S. Airport Road. I have spent so much money there and become so close to so many of the employees that there was even a time they had a small "surprise" birthday celebration with a piece of cake and a card signed by everyone there when I walked in the door on my lunch hour. I have made friends with employees outside of work and have considered some to feel as close as family. They know what is going on with me and me them. I have enjoyed going there for many, many years, although I admit I have felt guilt about the large amounts of money I have spent there, ha ha. I would shock probably even you if I looked at my bank statement and just totalled the transactions paid by credit card there in one year, not to mention cash purchases.

Anyway, I have seen employees and managers come and go, I have seen employees find new jobs, and unfortunately even saw one go through a terrible illness and eventually die while working there. It has always been fun and relaxing to go in there and the jabs and jokes, etc. are half of the fun.

Recently, with COVID and requirements for vaccinations, etc., many people have left the Salvation Army thirft store on Salvation Army and recently they hired a new manager. Over the course of the last month or so, I have watched this new manager complete DESTROY this store and take away everything that was good about it. She clearly has forgotten the meaning of the word "thrift" and is trying to turn this into her own little "botique". Don't get me wrong. the cleaning up and organziation has been pretty nice for the most part (other than she commingled all the sizes now so the "plus size" clothing is now just willy nilly thrown in with the other cloting and catagorized as "short sleeve shirts" here, etc. making it very difficult to find. She has taken away the color tag 1/2 off sales, now the.47 Saturday sales and most recently closed the bathroom to publc use. Broke my heart yesterday to hear the little boy crying to his mom from his seat in the cart "mommy, I gotta pee" over and over. But the WORST thing is, the prices have gone BEYOND ridiculous. Items used to be priced based on their condition, etc. but have a general price such as shirts 2.99 but nicer ones would be marked a little higher and if stained or ripped a little lower. Now they are all $5-8. Shoes, no matter what condition $5 and boots $8. There is a cowboy hat in there currently for $55 and a redwings jersey (that you can buy online exactly the same for $69) for $150. There is a salt lamp for $45 (they sell for less than that brand new at the store). I am sickened by what she has done to a store that used to help people out. She really thinks alot of herself and walks around barking orders and telling everyone what a great job she has done revamping this store. It needed "so much work". I mostly go elsewhere now - other thrift stores who havent' lost the idea of "helping others" and the meaning of "thirft" but someone should be made aware of how absolutely awful this store has become. We have a facebook pace here in Northern Michigan called "over heard in Traverse City" where people post concerns about issues and recently someone even posted somethign about this becuase it has become so awful. I have heard many say "I will no longer donate here" and "Im not going to shop here anymore". Sad. It used to be so much fun and so nice and enjoyable.

I have been a frequent shopper at the Salvation Army mentioned above for many years. I literally go there just about every day on my lunch hour to shop. I don't even want to mention the ridiculous amount of money I have spent at this thrift shop over the years. Recently a new manager and assistant manager took over the store. It is now a complete joke. It looks like they are trying to make it into a "botique" rather than a thrift store. The prices are out of hand and all of the sales have stopped. No longer do they have a 1/2 off color tag sale nor do they have the Saturday/Monday.47 cent day sale for that colored tag items that didn't sell the week before. I can understand if they wanted to raise the sale to a.99 sa, le even but this is ridiculous. Sweaters are now between $5-8 used. I can buy one new at Walmart for that. I am very saddened and have heard many others that feel the same.