April White of Carson City shops with her kids Aubrey, 3, and Levi, 11 mos. Thursday morning at the new Salvation Army Family Store.
The Salvation Army celebrated its new Carson location at a ribbon cutting Thursday.
City officials and community members gathered for the morning ceremony to open the store.
“This is no longer a thrift store, it is a family store now,” said Maj. Charles Fowler of the Salvation Army, Reno Corps.
The store moved from its former Winnie Lane location to the new one at 3320 Research Way, with an updated store and all newly-donated items inside. Fowler told the crowd the store needed more space to provide more product to customers.
“We are grateful to our customers, both new and old because without them there would be no store and no rehab program so you all are important to what the Salvation Army does,” Fowler said.
In addition to the store, the Salvation Army runs a rehabilitation program, funded by the store.
“We do our absolute best to restore lives and the lives of families,” Fowler said.
He said the store is more than a store, it’s about helping individuals recover.
“I like to say we are recycling donated goods and recycling damaged lives,” Fowler said. “It is why we are here, to help give hope.”
Inside, the store is new and clean with aisles spanning the 18,000 square foot building filled with furniture, clothes, shoes and more.
Dozens of people were lined up outside the store Thursday morning to welcome the new store to Carson City. For patrons, the store offered door prizes as well as a prize wheel to win coupons and merchandise.
The Salvation Army is open every day except Sunday.
