Shoppers at a Cortland thrift store have been dodging raindrops for months, but the problem has gone beyond something to maneuver around while shopping for trinkets.
Cortland ReUse, located at 186 Homer Ave., brands itself as “a community center disguised as a thrift store.” It’s been harder to serve the community, however, since a leak in the roof became unmanageable, said ReUse Coordinator Carrie Narrow.
The leak, which first started dripping in December, became a safety concern Feb. 14. The store had to close for 10 business days.
“There was literal rain in the store,” Narrow said. “There were 70-plus buckets around the store, we were emptying, every hour, even overnight.”
Repairs are now underway. A large, blue tarp is suspended in the middle of the dishware section, surrounding the leak.
Still, the non-profit lost about $4,000, ceiling tiles and employee income as a result of the store being closed, Narrow said.
It will cost between $15,000 and $20,000 to get the ceiling fixed and get back the lost revenue, Narrow said. The “Raise the Roof” campaign is currently at $2,200.
“Everything goes back to the local community,” said ReUse Coordinator Paul Kozlowski. “It’s a win-win! We’re directly supporting local charities and our needy neighbors, plus keeping the landfill from filling up so fast.”
Cortland ReUse donates items to many organizations, including the Center for the Arts of Homer, Loaves and Fishes, the Portzline Program and Cortland County Historical Society.
“The retail space is obviously a big vision to our environment and such, but we also have a community impact,” Narrow said. “Even when the store was closed, we were working on warming kits, organizing all of the medical supplies that we sent to Ukraine and Africa, and working on our ‘Families in Need’ voucher program with Catholic Charities.”
The “Families in Need” fund allows Cortland ReUse to provide families transitioning from homelessness to a home with free furniture and household items.
