MRCI Thrift moves next door

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- After five years at the same location next to Hy-Vee, the MRCI Thrift Store has moved. It's moved right next door into a larger space vacated by Super Stop Liquor Warehouse at 2021 S. Broadway.

As to reports that Hy-Vee may be occupying the space vacated by the thrift store, Store Manager Tom Hobt said he's unable to comment at this time.

It may not seem like a big move, going next door, but to the thrift store's volunteer manager, Evie Domeier, it's an answer to her prayers. In fact, they're celebrating the move with a re-grand opening; it's the same low prices and specials -- every Thursday, buy one, get one free -- that they always have, but it's their way of celebrating the move.

"It's 20 feet wider than what we were, and we needed space desperately," she explained. "In the other building, we had only one room for the volunteers to work, sort, accept and keep in. There literally was no space to sit."

Now, they have a larger room for receiving in donated items, another room for sorting, a laundry room with washer and dryer with a double sink for washing donated dishes and laundering clothing donations and even a small "break" room where volunteers can sit and have a cup of coffee.

Having a laundry room was high on the store's priority list. The organization bought the washer and dryer, but the double sink was donated.

"If you got nice things in, you don't want to toss them out, but you can't sell them dirty so we would take them home and launder them. We were wearing out our washers at home," Domeier explained.

"And, of course, we have a whole lot more space out in front, we've got additional racks that we procured from retail stores that were closing and shelves all around the sales floor's perimeter."

When it came to remodeling the new space, Domeier knew whom to call: her brother Charlie Guggisberg, owner of Milford Builders who volunteered their services.

While MRCI-New Ulm takes care of all legal work, including negotiating the lease, everything else is handled within the store, Domeier said. There is no paid staff; the store is run by an all-volunteer organization of about 60 members with its own board of directors, called "Friends of MRCI."

The store draws volunteers from a wide area around New Ulm. The board's president, Carol Riecke, lives in Fairfax.

"Half of our proceeds go directly into the MRCI-New Ulm budget, and the rest of it is allocated," Domeier explained. "We have used money from that account to purchase three vans, help buy a handicap-accessible bus, bought a delivery truck. We've bought them a forklift, we sponsor their Christmas party every winter, and we sponsor a summer picnic every year. We've bought them some picnic tables for outside. We've been real busy."

All told, MRCI-New Ulm head Georg Marti said, the Friends of MRCI-New Ulm have bought over $100,000 in vehicles and equipment for the company in the past five years.

"The thrift shop has been working just wonderfully as far as our program goes here," Marti explained. "We've always got the dilemma of having more need than resources that are available. Our company has had a very successful thrift shop in Mankato so we wanted to pick up on that model here. It's worked out wonderfully right from the beginning."