Holidays boost business for Saugus Salvation Army

SAUGUS – While huge crowds mobbed area malls and big-box stores for Black Friday sales, there’s one place in Saugus where deals are always available on everything from clothes to furniture: the Salvation Army Thrift Store on Route 1.Lynn resident Louise Stanchfield was shopping for a book for herself, noting she reads more than 100 a year. But when it comes to Christmas gifts, Stanchfield said she prefers to give money to her huge family, which includes eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.”I don’t shop,” said Stanchfield. “I have no desire to get involved with the crowds. I did run over that way this morning to see how it looked.”Stanchfield did acknowledge, however, she was going to the Square One Mall, but only to use a two-year-old Best Buy gift card that still had some value.Sheila Lawrence, of Stoneham, was with a friend leaving the thrift shop Friday and said she bought a salt and pepper shaker, dishes, a new candle holder and Christmas ornaments.”We’re just shopping for ourselves,” she said. “I would stay away from Best Buy and any of those places.”But while the store was fairly busy Friday, assistant supervisor Jenna Wilson said it’s nothing compared to big-box stores.”We’ve got a steady flow of traffic coming in, but usually on Black Friday we’re not as busy as the big-box retailers are,” she said. “I think people try to get out and get those deals instead of thrift.”The Route 1 complex isn’t just for shopping, however. A 125-bed adult rehabilitation center sits on a hill behind the thrift shop. Salvation Army Maj. Tom Taylor said there are 104 people living there now.”We have folks who don’t have anyplace to go anymore,” said Taylor. “(Thursday) we had the big Thanksgiving meal.””The cook made up 11 turkeys, and everybody picked a designated carver.” Taylor explained. “All the food came to the table and people ate family-style. We set snacks out all day long and had a movie marathon and an AA meeting.”Taylor said donations really start to pick up this time of year, not only because of the holidays, but because of the end of the tax year.”That’s when people really start dropping off,” said Taylor. “We gear up for that, but last week it was insane. People were coming and coming. When we get closer to the end of the year, cars will be lined up on Route 1 waiting to get in.”Taylor said clothes are always the biggest need but noted the Salvation Army will take in just about any item, including an odd donation from just last week.”You never know what gets donated,” he said. “Last week a woman came in with a prosthesis. She said, ‘Can you use this?’ We can put it out at Halloween and it will sell then.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].