At 40, Granny’s Attic sees business boom in town

Published 5:00 am Wednesday, February 3, 2016

When Granny’s Attic closed its doors last week for its annual break, it marked 40 years supporting health care needs on the island and one year at its new location, where it had its busiest year ever.

The thrift shop saw more than $800,000 in sales last year, up $50,000 from the year before, and — per its mission — gave away some $271,000 to island nonprofits that provide health-related services, according to Tim Johnson, the store’s manager. The business also settled into its new space in the IGA shopping complex, after having spent 38 years at Sunrise Ridge. Board President Janet Kime noted that the move was difficult for some because of the shop’s long history at Sunrise Ridge, but it was necessary for the business to thrive.

“It was a real wrench to leave there for many of us, but we could not continue to grow there,” she said. “We were just out of space, and there was no way to expand.”

Indeed, in the shop’s new location, with its increased footprint, higher visibility and improved access, business has expanded considerably. The store had its most profitable February ever when it re-opened in town on Feb. 7, Johnson said. It also experienced its largest month in its history: In December, sales hit $91,000, up from $72,000 the December before. Last November’s “Green Friday,” the day after Thanksgiving, was the store’s largest day ever, bringing in $14,500 in just three hours. Overall, sales were up by 11 percent each day the store was open, Johnson added.

“On any given day, we have more out to sell and are better organized. We have wide aisles people can get down, and we are handicapped accessible now,” he said.

In a testament to just how popular the store is, scores of shoppers routinely line up outside, waiting for the doors to open. In the summer, Kime said the line can be 100 people long. More than 60 people lined up outside last Tuesday, when the store hosted its annual “make-an-offer” day. Inside, shoppers scooped up items, and the checkout clerks greeted the patrons with an unusual question to hear at a cash register: “How much would you like to pay today?”

Johnson noted that enthusiasm for the store does not belong simply to bargain hunters, but is shared by all involved.

“We know that people love Granny’s by the lines in front of the store,” he said last week. “I am not sure the community understands how much the Granny’s volunteers and staff love serving the community. It really is something we feel honored by.”

Granny’s first opened in 1975 at a former gas station near Sound Food and was run by a group of women supporting the work of the Vashon-Maury Health Services Center, which had opened in 1973 in a small home in Burton. Mary Jo Barrentine started volunteering at the thrift shop in 1976, invited by her sister, Bonnie Shride, who was one of the original founders. Four decades later, Barrentine, now 81, is still one of the most active volunteers at the shop and works there three days a week. She is in charge of the seasonal department, which last week was overflowing with Christmas items in the store’s large — and quite full — sorting area.

“It’s remarkable that this whole thing worked with a handful of volunteers who didn’t know what they were doing,” she said. “Who would have thought this would have come from it?”

Johnson shares that feeling, noting the store is doing the same work now as it did then — but on a much larger scale.

“In the first month, the store brought in $1,100. Now the average month is about $65,000,” he said. “We do $1,100 in a half hour of a good store day.”

In the beginning, Barrentine said, volunteers would argue over who would get to sort and price the items, and then they would wait and make sure whoever had donated them had left the store before the volunteers placed them out on the floor for sale. Typically, the volunteers would have a handful of items to put out— a marked contrast to the activity of the store today, when four or five people might be needed to keep the dock from overflowing with donations.

The shop, which staff and volunteers run as a department store, with necessities typically available and at a low price, also includes areas meant to convey the feeling of a garage sale as well as items worthy of a treasure hunt. From toasters to toys to tools, all items are reflected in the store’s sales, which Johnson tracks meticulously, thanks to the technology that allows the store to accept credit cards, which it did not do — with strong feelings on both sides — until just two years ago. Last week, Johnson provided a glimpse into just how much — and of what — Granny’s sells.

Last year’s sales included 36,000 books, more than 14,000 collectibles — ranging from knick knacks to silver to antiques — nearly 5,000 pieces of furniture, more than 4,000 CDs and nearly 2,000 purses. Clothing made up the largest category of sales, with women’s clothes accounting for the lion’s share. Out of $200,000 worth of clothing sold, women’s clothes accounted for $140,000, Johnson said.

Those sales translate into unwanted items being kept out of the landfill and in fulfilling Granny’s mission of supporting health care on the island. In all, since the shop first opened its doors, Granny’s Attic has provided some $4.8 million for health care needs and programs, Kime said.

For many years, Granny’s provided money only to the Vashon Health Center, but that began to change about eight years ago, when the membership voted to ease that restriction and provided limited funds to organizations such as Vashon Community Care. In 2013, Granny’s broadened its focus entirely and began funding grants for health-related services and needs at Vashon’s nonprofit agencies. Twice a year, island organizations submit grant applications for health-related proposals, which the board then reviews and makes recommendations on for the whole membership — Granny’s volunteers. In its most recent granting cycle last fall, the group awarded $130,000, including $5,000 to the Vashon Senior Center’s Neighbor to Neighbor program, which pairs volunteers with seniors who need assistance at home; $17,500 for an all-terrain vehicle outfitted with rescue and firefighting equipment for Vashon Island Fire & Rescue and, in one of its largest awards ever, $90,000 to support the work of Vashon Community Care. The next granting cycle is coming up; March 1 is the deadline for applications. Like last year, Johnson said he expects the organization will award about $270,000 this year.

While Granny’s grants are fairly well known, less visible is that Granny’s also provides gift certificates for clients of some of the island’s social service agencies, including Vashon Youth & Family Services and the Interfaith Council to Prevent Homelessness. Last year that amount totalled $4,500, Johnson said. It used to be that Granny’s would provide vouchers for those needs and then bill the agencies for what was purchased.

“That felt wrong,” he said. “We have so much stuff that making them pay for these items felt like misuse of their funds.”

Granny’s now provides the gift certificates at no cost to the agencies, and he believes the certificates are a more respectful approach.

“When someone comes in with a voucher, no matter how kindly you treat them, they feel like it is charity,” he said.

Indeed, supporting Granny’s giving is what draws many volunteers to the shop, along with the camaraderie they share behind the scenes. Currently, there are more than 80 volunteers, Johnson said, with a core group of 30 to 40 who are the most active. Some work just a few hours a week, while others routinely volunteer multiple shifts, up to three and four days a week. The volunteers become like a family, Sheryl Allen, the former volunteer coordinator, said last week, and they have a good time together.

“The best part of working here is the people,” Allen said. “If I ever think of leaving, I change my mind when I think of who I wouldn’t be seeing anymore.”

Alexis Daniels, who many know as a former Metro bus driver, recently stepped into the volunteer coordinator role, and said Granny’s would benefit from more volunteers. She noted she would like to see a dozen new people lend a hand. Once volunteers, they can shape where Granny’s Attic money goes in the community.

“We’re really helping the island,” Allen added. None of us could give $100,000, but we can be part of that. That is one of the best parts of all.”

Looking ahead, Johnson said he has no plans to announce any more big changes, but staff and volunteers will stay attentive to the work at hand: maximizing efficiency, being attentive to pricing, looking for sustainable growth and keeping an eye out for opportunities as they appear.

“Our biggest task is to try to make the things we can better and try not to ruin the things that do work,” he said. “We are keenly aware this store works because people love it.”