YMCA opening thrift store in former Post location

By James Tubb on March 26, 2024.

NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER haron Hayward, CEO of the Medicine Hat YMCA, poses for a photo with the keys to the Post building. The YMCA is planning to open a new thrift store in its location called ‘Y Treasure Thrift Store,’ planned to open before the beginning of summer.

On Friday, administration with the YMCA picked up the keys for the building that was occupied by the beloved thrift store ‘The Post’ along Third Street SE.

They have plans to open a new thrift store called ‘Y Treasure Thrift Store’ in the same location The Post served the community as a social hub for more than 44 years.

The YMCA says revenue earned from the thrift store will raise funds to enhance existing YMCA employment and youth programs.

“This is a great opportunity,” says Sharon Hayward, CEO of the Medicine Hat YMCA. “To be able to provide actual job skills that people can then take on to their future careers.

“Same thing with our youth programs. We just see the potential for youth entrepreneurship and getting youth involved in the store in different ways that will just enhance their programming and provide more opportunity to the community.”

YMCA administration told the News they were shocked to learn of the closure of The Post last November that operated as a popular thrift store that supported the Canadian Mental Health Foundation.

After looking at their alignment with employment and youth programs the YMCA decided opening a thrift store would be a great opportunity to continue the thrift store and run is as a social enterprise.

“There was a lot of employment and volunteer opportunities, not to mention just the sense of community that I think a store that’s operated that many years has,” explains Hayward. “So we were happy to be able to step in and continue that legacy.”

The YMCA took ownership of the building Friday and is already setting up a space in the back to begin accepting and shorting through donations.

They have purchased the remaining inventory from The Post and are currently setting up a community donation campaign to build up store inventory.

The YMCA also plans to receive surplus items from local businesses it partners with to keep shelves stocked.

“So we have some stuff to start with,” says Hayward. “But we’ll definitely be advertising for more donations once we’re set up to accept them,”

The YMCA is accepting applications to work at the new thrift store and is welcoming any former CMHA employees to apply.

Administration says they hope to have the store open by the end of May or beginning of June.

“We really have to start from scratch.” explains Hayward. “We have to get people hired, we have to make some changes to the layout of the store. We have to rebrand and do our staff training and whatnot, plus beef up the inventory with some community donations.”

The Medicine Hat location will be the first YMCA in the country to open its own thrift store, although several YWCAs run similar thrift stores in Canada.

Employment opportunities with positions available will be posted online at medicinehatymca.ca/job-postings.

“We’re just happy to be able to at least keep the store going so that it’s still a social enterprise that supports community charity,” adds Hayward. “That’s important to us.”

Comments are closed.