Pocono News Section

Thrift Shop Recovers from Fire

Thrift Shop Recovers from Fire - Monday, March 3, 2008 at 2:35PM EST

Reported by: Laurie Monteforte
Monday, Mar 3, 2008 @02:35pm EST
PLYMOUTH, LUZERNE COUNTY - When Robert Fisher drove by the community services thrift store in Plymouth the balloons caught his eye and he had to stop.

"Four bucks, beautiful jacket for four dollars - and they treat you like a king," said Fisher.

The store looks brand new but when you walk through the door, the smell of smoke hits you in the face and reminds you of the disaster that kept Robert Fisher and all of the other customers away for six months.

In September fire destroyed the place. Manager Cheryl Gregory said flames destroyed most of the building while smoke and water ruined all of the merchandise. "It was really, really messy, very dirty," she said.

For six months the employees scrubbed everything, ceiling to floor, every little detail, even the end caps on the racks. "We had to scrub every little tiny piece," said employee Angel Lushefski.

While the employees scrubbed the community continued to donate. So the shop set up a trailer to store everything. It's almost overflowing with donations that the workers still have to sort.

But they don't mind. They were happy to recover from the fire and celebrate the grand reopening of the Community Family Services Thrift Shop.

Gregory said, "It's great. It's very exciting. It really is."