The Oregon Humane Society Thrift Store in downtown Salem will close at the end of the year due to several factors around economic challenges.
Although the number of donations has been on the rise, revenue has been declining in recent years, said Laura Klink, spokesperson for the Oregon Humane Society. The store has been financially breaking even, and projections estimate they will continue to do so through 2026.
“The thrift store was initially open to be a revenue source to fund the animal welfare work,” Klink said. “And when it isn’t serving that purpose anymore, we just have to make some hard choices.”
The thrift store’s annual Holiday Bazaar is still set to take place on Nov. 15 and 16, but will no longer accept donations as of Dec. 1.
The store at 548 High St. NE opened in 1968 as the Willamette Humane Society Thrift Store. Two years ago, it merged with the Oregon Humane Society.
The store has one full-time employee, five part-time employees, more than 20 volunteers and a handful of community service volunteers, Klink said.