FARMINGTON — A recently closed thrift store on Broadway will reopen soon under a new owner, the Farmington Lions Club.

After the Farmington Thrift Store closed its doors last month following 20-plus years on Broadway, the Farmington Lions Club decided to try a long-term fundraising endeavor, said Craig Jordan, member and project chairperson.

The club works quietly throughout the year raising funds to provide eye care and purchase glasses for adults, who truly can not afford them but need them to go to work, and young children, who need them for school, among their other charitable efforts, he said.

Raffles, auctions, fishing derbies and even parking cars for the recent Antique Tractor Festival helps the club raise funds during the year, but re-opening the store may be a potential source of income year-round, he said.

Club members are hoping that that will be the case but realize it could be a challenge. Since Jordan happens to own the building, “we got a break there,” he said. The group has someone in mind to hire as store manager but like the previous thrift store will also rely on donations and volunteers.

“Every penny, above and beyond overhead costs will go back to charities in the Farmington area,” he said. “Our motto is ‘We Serve’ and that’s what we want to do.”

Along with raising funds to serve through their charities, club members want to provide the community with second-hand items at reasonable costs. Serving people in other ways, too, he added.

Signs in the windows announce the intention to re-open but the now empty space needs to be filled again.

Donations are starting to come in but club members are looking for more. Clothing, household items and good clean pieces of furniture are wanted, he said. Items such as bicycle helmets, car seats or cribs can’t be sold and the store can’t handle any large “white goods” such as stoves and refrigerators. Members are prepared to pickup items.

“It’s a work in progress,” said Ronald Cullenberg, president of the Lion’s Club. “We didn’t know of the availability until recently. It will be an education for us to see if we can do it.”

The opportunity is coming during the group’s summer break from regular meetings, which extends the approval process for sponsoring a six-day business.

“We’re trying to fill in and move as quickly as we can,” Cullenberg said.

A small group of about 25 members, many local businessmen, meets twice a month at the American Legion Hall for a supper and short meeting, but then works quietly throughout the year to do as much as they can to help within the community, a tradition that has lasted well over 50-years, Jordan said.

“The local organization tries to fill community needs and address issues. Members get together and try to keep a pulse on the community, reaching out when there are disasters and contributing to many things,” Cullenberg said.

The group has undertaken large endeavors before. When Jim Martin was the building trades teacher at the high school, the Club would sponsor the building of a house by a class and then sell it at the end of the year, Jordan said.

The local group joins groups across the nation and internationally making the Lions Club the largest service club organization serving people all around the world.

While the group intends to sponsor the new thrift store, they hope others in the community will help by volunteering to work there just as they did for Skills Inc., formerly Ken-A-Set.

Anyone with donations they would like picked up may call 778-6690 or 778-0413.

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