GILROY
– The Salvation Army has announced plans to move its downtown
thrift store to a more
”
upscale
”
environment
– next to the new retail centers off Highway 152 and U.S.
101.
GILROY – The Salvation Army has announced plans to move its downtown thrift store to a more “upscale” environment – next to the new retail centers off Highway 152 and U.S. 101.
Salvation Army Capt. Howard Bennett said the do-gooder agency is “pretty happy” with its Monterey Street location. However, the city’s plans for a new arts and cultural center at the same main street site eventually will displace the thrift store.
Instead of recreating the existing thrift store somewhere else in town, Bennett said the Salvation Army wants to expand what the store offers and station itself near Target, Kohl’s and Wal-Mart Supercenter.
“The thrift store is a pretty big part of our fund raising efforts and we think we can improve the quality product we already offer,” Bennett said.
Specifically, the new thrift store would include a special boutique section where collectible antiques and higher-end goods would be sold.
“It would be a specialty shop within a regular store,” Bennett said.
Proceeds from the Salvation Army’s 11 countywide thrift stores go toward the agency’s substance abuse rehabilitation clinic in downtown San Jose. Bennett said 15 percent to 20 percent of Salvation Army’s clients live in Gilroy.
Before Salvation Army can move its thrift store east, the agency and the City of Gilroy must agree on a price for the existing store. Bennett said the two parties are close on a sale figure. However, the two parties are still far apart on a relocation figure that the city must pay in addition to paying fair market value for the Monterey Street lot and the existing building.
Bennett said it will cost Salvation Army $1 million to build a new building. About half of the expense would be due to the expansion of the thrift store, Bennett said. In other words, the Salvation Army would entertain a $500,000 contribution from the city for relocation expenses.
By law, the city does not disclose details at this stage in the negotiating process. However, Bennett said the two parties still had a ways to go before an agreement would be reached.
The city still hasn’t reached an agreement with three additional landowners on Monterey Street. In one instance, the city and a landowner – Loi Dong – were more than $200,000 apart.
Eric Leins covers city politics for The Dispatch. He can be reached at (408) 842-6400 Ext. 275 or by e-mail at el****@************ch.com.
