The Salvation Army Thrift Store closed its location in downtown Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017. (photo/Cindy Hadish)
CEDAR RAPIDS – A longtime fixture in a historic district of downtown Cedar Rapids has come to a close.
The Salvation Army Thrift Store, 717 Third Ave. SE, ended its 35-year run on Oct. 25, 2017.
Acting store manager Sarah Celichowski said employees will transfer to the Salvation Army store that opened in April 2016 at 5824 Council St. NE.
Related: Final photos of Westdale Mall
Remaining items were sold at 75 percent off. (photo/Cindy Hadish)
Customers who perused the remaining racks of clothes and other items on the final day said they were sorry to see the store close its downtown site.
Celichowski said many of those people were from the neighborhood.
“A lot of customers walk here,” she said. “Some of them are really upset, because they foot it a lot.”
The building is being sold, but that sale is still pending.
Related: Last days of Marion Maid-Rite
Located in the Automobile Row Historic District, the single-story, 9,057-square-foot building was constructed in 1953 for the Schamberger Motor Co., which remained there through 1965.
The Salvation Army building is part of the Auto Row Historic District. (photo/Cindy Hadish)
According to the district’s nomination, the curved form of the façade, blond brick and large expanse of display windows define the building as a mid-century modern design for an automobile dealership.
The district, from Second to Third avenues between Sixth to Eighth streets SE, was added to the National Register in 2015.
Learn about a local craft brewery that opened in the Auto Row Historic District and see more photos from the final day of the Salvation Army Thrift Store:
A store that was close to the lowest income areas of Cedar Rapids is gone. No longer easily available for those who need it most. Too bad that the Salvation Army has decided it is better to be accessible to the middle class than the poor.
Good point!