During an uncertain time, thrift stores doing brisk business

By Ben Paulin, Globe Correspondent

With the economy running on fumes, there is at least one industry reporting that business is thriving: thrift stores.

Shoppers looking for bargains are shunning retail stores and heading to shops run by the Salvation Army and Goodwill Industries, store managers said.

“We’ve got a lot of customers coming in," said John Everett, manager of the Salvation Army store in Cambridge. "They can’t go to the stores and get the stuff they really wanted, and they come here and it’s cheaper.”

At the Salvation Army store in Hudson, manager Elaine Schwartz has seen a 20 percent increase in sales in the last few months.

“I’m seeing new faces; people who used to shop at the mall are shopping here,” she said.

At the same time, she said, shoppers also seem to be pinching their pennies, even in her store.

“They’re only buying what they need to buy. People who would come in and spend $50 -- now they come in and buy $10 to $15 worth of stuff,” said Schwartz.

Some store managers reported that they’re being squeezed because donations, at the same time, are declining as people tighten their purse strings.

“This place used to be packed with donations, now it’s half full,” Everett said. “People aren’t donating like they used to.”

Carol Gabbidon, who manages the Salvation Army store in Somerville, echoed Everett’s sentiments.

“Basically, people hold on to things more than they usually would,” she said. “Students -- they come looking for beds and little computer desks. We don’t have [as] many of [those] because people aren’t donating as much.”

Melissa Temmi, a national spokeswoman for the Salvation Army, said the organization has seen a 5 to 20 percent decrease in donations this year compared with last year.

“It’s commonly accepted that it’s an economic issue; people are tightening their belts,” she said.

“The Salvation Army is very concerned about it,” said Temmi, noting that proceeds from store sales go to drug- and alcohol-treatment programs.

Ingrid Baptiste, manager of the Goodwill store in Cambridge, said sales are up -- and people are still donating items.

“People are still giving; I would say that they’re donating more,” she said. “I guess a lot of people are cleaning out their closets.”

Goodwill stores in the Boston area have seen sales increase by 8 percent, while donations have increased 4 percent this year, said Rick Ellis, a spokesman for Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries.

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