Ohio Thrift is opening up an Athens location on East State Street, with plans to open in the late fall. The store will be located in what used to be the Big Lots across from Kroger, 918 E. State St.
Ohio Thrift is a for-profit organization that has been in Ohio since the late 1980s, according to the store's website. The store processes thousands of items daily, constantly rotating its inventory.
The company has 15 current locations, making Athens number 16, most of which are located in central Ohio. There are multiple outlier locations located in Delaware, Lancaster, Chillicothe and Mansfield.
The store has not yet hired employees but expects to provide 20 to 30 jobs for the local community. According to a Facebook post announcing its opening, team positions will be from $12 an hour to $20, based on experience.
Vice President of Operations at Ohio Thrift Chris Groves commented on why the company decided to build a store in Athens.
“I think demographics really play a strong portion of what we're looking for like traffic patterns, growth and it seems to be a centralized hub,” Groves said. “And I think the need of the community is something that, overall, they'll greatly benefit from our presence.”
According to Groves, Ohio Thrift sources most of its inventory from non-profit organizations, brokers, liquidations, buyouts and directly from manufacturers. The stores sell items such as clothing, bedding, furniture, toys, electronics and more.
Sam Gausmann, a sophomore studying environmental pre-law, commented on his excitement for the new store. He stated how many college students struggle with money. Thus, having an affordable option for clothing in the area is extremely important.
According to the Ohio Thrift website, the for-profit organization strives for environmental sustainability. They reportedly recycle approximately 4 million pounds of material per year.
Groves stated Ohio Thrift is looking forward to branching into the Athens community.
“We're really excited to come to the community and open up,” Groves said. “We are remodeling the building right now, nothing extensive, but a lot of cleanup and painting.”
Groves said Ohio Thrift plans to open up sometime in October or early November, with the remodel in progress.
