Lewis County Opportunities, Inc.  •  8265 State Route 812  •  Lowville, NY  13367
Telephone:  315-376-8202  •  Fax:  315-376-8421  •  Location and Business Hours  •   Contact Us

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  Store expands hours, selection About the store How to volunteer
 

 

Current hours: Monday through Friday, 9 AM - 3 PM

We're also open from 9 AM - 12 Noon on the first and third Saturday of each month
 

The Opportunity Knocks Thrift Store would not be possible without the generosity of community donors,
who donate pre-owned goods and/or their time to help operate the store.

 
 
Thrift Store celebrates first year anniversary with expanded hours and retail space 

In October, 2011 when we first opened the Opportunity Knocks Thrift Store, we honestly didn’t know what to expect. Over the course of the past year, we have been overwhelmed with the level of support from the community, both with donated items and with customer patronage.  Within six months of opening, we expanded our retail space to the second floor, with an expanded assortment of clothing for customers of all varieties.  We also listened to your suggestions for expanded hours of operation, which now included hours on every other Saturday. So stop in … shop … and walk away with some great bargains, while knowing you did something good for your community!
 
 
 
About the Opportunity Knocks Thrift Store
 
Opportunity Knocks features a variety of new or pre-owned clothing, appliances, furniture, kitchenware, decorations, and a whole lot more at very affordable prices.  Be sure to stop by often, as new inventory is added daily.



We've recently expanded our retail space to the second level, which now houses clothing for a variety of ages from infants to adults.

We've recently expanded our retail space to the second level, which now houses clothing for a variety of ages from infants to adults.
We've recently expanded our retail space to the second level, which now houses clothing for a variety of ages from infants to adults.

   
   
We have books for all ages. Check out our selection of stuffed animals for children, all clean and gently used.
 

Books for all ages arrive on a regular basis.

We offer a selection of stuffed animals for children, all clean and gently used.

   
   
Handbags at attractive prices Housewares priced to move quickly.
   

Handbags are offered at attractive prices.

Housewares are priced to move quickly,
with inventory changing daily.  We also offer an assortment of furniture and electronics, including televisions.

 
The store officially opened its doors to the public in the autumn of 2011, and features a variety of new and pre-owned furniture, household appliances, kitchenware, clothing, toys, books, decorations and electronics.  The store is located in the historic Crystal View Building at the corner of State Route 812 and Artz Road in the hamlet of New Bremen.  A generous donation from the Northern New York Community Foundation made the start up of the store possible.

According to Beverly Howlett, Family Services Program Manager, the idea for a thrift store originated from the former Furniture Barn program at Opportunities, in which the agency accepted donations of pre-owned furniture from the public and distributed it to residents who were in need.  However, some donors also donated pots, pans, wall hangings and other items with their furniture, leaving the agency with a growing inventory of perfectly usable items for redistribution.  “The economy is tough, and everyone is looking for ways to make ends meet; we thought this was a natural progression for the program.  Plus, it's all about recycling and reusing things and keeping them out of landfills,” said Ms. Howlett.  While there are other thrift stores in the area, the intent of the store is to simply provide another place for people to purchase low-priced goods as a service to our community, and not to compete with anyone else.  “Why throw anything away when there is someone out there that could use these products?” said Ms. Howlett.

Donor generosity is key in the store's success, both in terms of donated items and volunteer time.  "The goal is to ultimately to run the store with volunteers", said Ms. Howlett.  New inventory is arriving each day, with items aggressively priced to move quickly.  Net proceeds from the store help support current or future services for low-income residents of Lewis County. 

Anyone interested in donating items or volunteering at the store is asked to call Shauna Farney at 376-2981.  

 

 
 
Opportunity Knocks Loves Its Volunteers!
 

 

The store relies on the generosity of volunteers, who donate their time to process incoming donations and operate the store, all for the worthy cause of providing a resource for folks in the community to obtain used items affordably.  There's always plenty to do, so if you'd like to become a volunteer for the store, give us a call at 376-2981 or email us!

 

"I enjoy helping people, and you can volunteer whatever hours you want.  We have a great bunch, so come join us and have some fun!"

"I wanted to volunteer
and saw this in the local paper.
 I enjoy it, and I don't have to drive far."

   

- Ann

- Peg

 
 
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