By Amy Batista, Special Writer
Rise is celebrating its third thrift store, a resale furniture outlet, by hosting a “Grand Opening Extravaganza” this Saturday.
“There has always been a need for more space to showcase the great furniture that had been donated by our generous donors,” said Perry Sandler, who manages the store.
The grand opening event will be held on Oct. 10 in conjunction with the Hometown Harvest Fair. The newest store is located at 133 Broad St. behind Krauser’s on Franklin Street.
Rise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of struggling families and building a stronger community, operates three thrift stores in town. All of the items in the stores are donated and proceeds help to fund Rise programming, including the Rise Food Pantry and Rise Summer Camp.
Rise will be hosting events throughout the day this Saturday at all three store locations as part of the grand opening, starting at 10 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring a special guest at the furniture store.
“We will also be serving breakfast until 11:30 a.m.,” Mr. Sandler said.
Rise will sponsor a fashion show at noon by the lake.
“Come see some familiar faces model off the clothes that are sold in the store,” Mr. Sandler said.
At 1 p.m., there will be face painting at the Greater Goods Kids Outlet on Main Street.
“Come shop while your kids are distracted,” he said.
There will be a raffle at 2 p.m.
“We will be giving out over a dozen gift baskets with a grand prize of a $50 gift card,” Mr. Sandler said. “It ends where it all began at the furniture outlet. Snacks will be served as well.”
Tickets for the raffle can be purchased at any of the three stores.
“Customers will receive a raffle ticket with a minimum of a $10 purchase,” he said. “The more often you spend, the better your chances are at winning.”
The Greater Goods Resale Furniture Store sells framed pictures, appliances and household furniture from end tables to chests of drawers and much more.
“The store officially opened shortly after Labor Day, with the regular hours of Monday through Saturday from 10-7 p.m.,” Mr. Sandler said. “Prior to the opening, we were bringing customers in the store by appointment only. Now we are happy to have a home with regular staff.”
Two regular staff members have been hired.
“And of course, you can always find Maria Silverio, the manager of the thrift store on Rogers, as well as Ray, Danny and Elias stopping by to help out during the week,“ he said. “We are just one happy family.”
The stores are always looking for volunteers.
“Feel free to stop by any of the stores and fill out a slip of paper,” he said. “It’s as easy as that. All volunteers get a small discount for helping out. It’s just our way of saying thanks. Without their help, we wouldn’t be the success that we are.”
Mr. Sandler said Rise opened the third store because it was pressed for space in its original store and oftentimes couldn’t display all of the furniture being donated.
“Another problem was getting to furniture in a small designated area of the store,” he said. “Now with almost 4,000 square feet, customers can maneuver their way through the store easily and are able to see and test all the furniture.”
Mr. Sandler thanked the New Jersey Office of Faith Based Initiatives for “generously awarding a 2016 Social Entrepreneurial and Development grant to Rise.”
“This grant allows us to expand to our third location,” he said. “This large space allows us to sell bigger and better items — such as living and dining room sets, electronics, framed pictures, lamps and china sets. If you’re lucky you can find a hidden treasure among the many accessories we have throughout the store.”
Business is better than expected thanks to donors who are spreading the word, he said.
“We are happy that we are getting more donations than ever,” Mr. Sandler said. “We appreciate the continued support.”
Anyone who wants to donate furniture can call 609-448-0040 for an appointment.
“Please make sure you give yourself enough time because we get booked weeks in advance,” he said. “Just note that there is a minimal charge for pickups and deliveries. If you prefer, you can always stop in and bring them yourselves.“
Deliveries are accepted Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., which is one hour prior to closing.
“We have certain requirements for accepting donations so feel free to call to find out what’s acceptable,” he said.
The store gets new items all the time, so locals should stop by often to check out the merchandise, he added.
“We will also try to post pictures of our newest items on Facebook, so make sure you like us,” he said. “We will also be updating our website in the next few months, so you’ll be able to check out the goods.”
The store currently has some “great stuff” like a new couch from Raymour and Flannigan, a mid-century modern Danish couch with matching ottoman, tables and lamps, as well as lots of items to accessorize any room, he said.
“Prices are great,” he said. “You can get bookcases as low as $15, dining room tables and chairs for under $100 and couches starting at $40.”
The store continually offers specials.
“Currently we are offering 25 percent off select items,” he said. “Can’t beat that.”
Customers can also register to receive postcards in the mail, which have special offers.
“All you need to do is bring in the postcard, spend $75 and you will receive a $15 gift card that can be used in future purchases at any of our stores,” he said. “It’s just another way to give thanks for all the support over the years. However, everyone who comes in on Oct. 10 will receive an additional 10 percent off.”
To see some Greater Goods Resale Furniture Store merchandise on Facebook, visit www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1053249771353506.1073741830.115996471745512.
