Mountain Thrift Shop
The current Mountain Thrift Shop board includes (left to right): Lorna Polley, vice president, Women’s Club; Laura MacFarlane, president, ROWIA; Gary Condurachi, American Legion; Heather Sargeant, Sierra Club; Peter Jorris, Land Trust; Sylvi Brown, treasurer; Pat Jongerius, Arrowhead Arts; Donna Bennett, Friends of Library. Not pictured: Kathy Postamo, Mountain's Humane Society.
Posted: Thursday, January 29, 2015 12:00 am
The Mountain Thrift Shop in Blue Jay, the largest nonprofit thrift store in the San Bernardino Mountains, was incorporated in 1991 and moved to its current location in 1992. The store is run by volunteers from nine organizations to whom money is distributed twice a year. In 2014 the mountain community distribution was over $165,000, the largest amount since the store opened.
The thrift shop is a source of social interaction and friendship with volunteer—who average 10 years of service although there are those who have volunteered since the shop opened 25 years ago. Many lasting friendships have developed and grown into volunteering for other organizations, while still being part of the thrift store.
One of the requirements to work at the thrift store is to already be a member of one of the nine charitable organizations and then be approved by the board.
The Mountain Thrift Shop is a tax-exempt, public service corporation whose goal is to provide financial support to member tax-exempt organizations serving the mountain communities. The shop is governed by a board of nine directors representing the participating organizations, each of which provides a staff of volunteers to operate the shop.
The current organizations are: American Legion, Arrowhead Arts Association, Mountain’s Humane Society, San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust, Friends of the Library, Mountain Community Hospital Auxiliary, ROWIA (Rim of the World Interpretive Association), Sierra Club Foundation, and the Woman’s Club of Lake Arrowhead.
To celebrate 25 years of being part of the community, the thrift shop will hold a weekly drawing during the month of February of a gift certificate of $25. The promotion is only open to non-volunteers or their families. Drawing winners will be announced the following Monday of each week.
Donations from the public are the source of goods offered for sale. Such things as gently used, clean clothing, shoes, household items, linens, toys, books, small electronics and other miscellaneous items are welcome. Because of space limitations, the shop cannot take furniture or major appliances, and because of liability no baby playpens or car seats are accepted.
The Mountain Thrift Shop is located at 27248 Highway 189 in Blue Jay. Call (909) 337-9983.