The Thrift Store, one of 20 Red, White and Blue Thrift Store locations nationwide, will move from its prominent 2624 Atlantic Blvd. location in the St. Nicholas area to a former Food Lion store at Emerson Plaza at 3851 Emerson St.
The new site is about a mile from the current location.
D&D Company Properties LLC of Ventura, Calif., owns both properties. Property records show both stores are about 27,000 square feet in size, although the Atlantic Boulevard location was built in 1955 and sits on about 1.5 acres while the Food Lion is part of a shopping center that was built in 1988 on about 2.4 acres.
Parking appears to be a consideration. The current location was packed on a recent day with drivers waiting for customers to leave so they could find a space.
The Emerson site is not far from Interstate 95 and Philips Highway. The parking lot, larger than the Atlantic Boulevard lot, was largely vacant that day.
The City issued a building permit last week for Accelerated Contractors LLC to renovate the Emerson location at a project cost of $270,750.
A Thrift Store manager declined to comment.
The redwhiteandbluethrift–store.com site says the company has 20 locations in nine states – California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Oregon.
The four Florida stores operate as Red, White & Blue Thrift Stores in Hialeah and North Miami, World Thrift Store in Lake Worth and The Thrift Store in Jacksonville.
The company partners with the Vietnam Veterans of America and calls itself "a favorite of local costume designers, film wardrobe suppliers and frugal fashionistas."
The stores accept donations of clothing and household items. The website asks those interested in donation to visit pickupplease.org or call 800-775-VETS (8387).
The group also accepts toys, electronics, books, equipment, small furniture and more, "almost anything small and light enough for the driver to carry."
The redwhiteandbluethriftstore.com site says its stores feature, among other items, an "amazing selection of clothing, shoes, linens, jewelry, accessories, housewares, toys, books, records, CDs, DVDs, small electrical appliances and furniture for the entire family."
The Jacksonville store was packed with customers during the recent visit, filling their carts with items from a wide selection of goods ranging from wigs to wedding dresses.
The site says it offers vintage, designer, new, nearly new, antique and collectible goods.
The LoopNet.com commercial real estate site says of the 3851 Emerson St. site: "Brand new national chain, World Thrift just took former Food Lion space. Family Dollar and Rent-A-Center are junior anchors in this neighborhood center."
The Thrift Store is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, the company site says.
For information, visit the website.
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