MCC Used Furniture Store celebrates expanded location
The MCC Used Furniture Store in downtown Swift Current held a celebration of their expanded surroundings with a special ribbon cutting on April 13.
Located at 417 North Railway St. E., the busy store unveiled a refurbished and expanded display space which helps them better display the numerous donated items available for purchase.
Current Store Manager Cheri Nielsen notes that the furniture store was originally located at their main MCC Gift and Thrift Store at 148 1st Ave. N.W., but they have had their own location for the past decade.
“Without the donors, customers and volunteers we would not have had the opportunity to grow out of the space that we had from before,” Nielsen said during Saturday’s reopening.
“The extra sales floor has given us the opportunity to display donations in a more desirable fashion,” she explained. “Quite often before we were stacking items on top of each other and that people couldn’t even see them. This way people can see what is for sale and what is available.”
Volunteers improved the location by building a light barn in order to properly display overhead lighting which has been donated to them.
The MCC Used Furniture Store has provided assistance locally to Southwest Crisis Services, fire victims, and refugees, while globally MCC partners with local organizations to help those who have been effected by conflict and disasters.
“Beside all the work that we do locally and assisting with different areas here, in the past few years the two stores in Swift Current have contributed over a quarter of a million dollars every year to MCC Globally,” noted current board chairperson Susan Wiebe. “It is amazing, considering the prices that we charge.”
Former board chairperson and long time volunteer Jim Guenther admitted a lot of thought went into the expansion.
“It was quite a step in faith because we weren’t sure if the added expense would pay for itself. But we believe it has,” he said.
The MCC Used Furniture Store runs with a 22 person volunteer force, but they foresee needing additional volunteers now that they have expanded from 2,500 square feet to 4,400 square feet. The added space is used for expanded displays, an office, plus storage for out of season donations.
Nielsen points out it is not all work and no play for the volunteers.
”We love going through the treasurers that come in, and giving new life to things that a lot of people might have just taken to the dump.”
“We do get some very usual things as well, which also makes it fun here too because you just don’t know what’s going to come in.”
“And then not only that, but knowing that we make a difference in people’s lives,” she said. “We know this is helping others, whether it be locally or globally. It makes a big difference.”