“We are more popular than Wal-Mart,” said Lori Milton, who has managed the shop for about a year. It isn’t unusual, on a Friday after the shelves have been restocked, to have 50 people waiting at the door for 9 a.m. and opening time, she added. On the Friday after Thanksgiving last year, there were more than 100 people waiting to get in.

“We brought in extra people to handle crowd control,” said Nancy Hickman, chairwoman of the Soroptimist Club’s ways and means committee, which oversees the shop. The shop recently celebrated the third anniversary of its opening on Middleford Road, next to Soroptimist Park. Prior to moving there, the store was located on High Street.

The store is so popular because of the cost - $1 to $3 - and quality of items that it sells, said Milton. “We get some really nice donations, beautiful brand-new items,” she said.

In addition, the staff of 18 sorts through everything that is donated, to make sure that each items is suitable to be sold. Those that are not sellable are sent to the dump.

Hitchens said that the Soroptimist Club appreciates the donations that it receives from the community. “We would shut down completely if we didn’t get donations,” she said.

But she encourages people to donate only items that are sellable. On Monday morning, the store’s several trash bins were overflowing with items that cannot be sold.

“We do not accept furniture or large appliances,” said Milton. “We simply don’t have room to display them.” Even so, the items headed for the trash included a large television and five couches. Cost to dispose of the couches alone is $20 each, Milton said.
“Trash removal is so expensive,” added Hickman. “And anything that we have to pay out for that takes away from what we can give back to the community.”

Recently, the drop-off spot at the store was moved from the front of the building to its west side. When the store is open, people are welcome to take items in through the door on the west side.

Hickman said that the Curiosity Shop contributes to the community in several ways. First, it allows the Soroptimist Club to raise money. Second, it gives people a place to buy clothing and other items that are not very expensive.

Third, it provides jobs in the community. And fourth, it gives people who want to get rid of items a place to do so.

“When you know you can bring something here and someone will get good use out of it, it eases your conscience in getting rid of stuff,” she said.