DRYDEN – This fall, the Salvation Army Thrift Store will close its doors in Dryden, further shrinking the town’s affordable shopping options.
The store is no longer profitable enough to remain in the city, according to community ministries director Stuart Walter, who runs the Fort Frances, Sioux Lookout and Dryden locations, as well as a former location in Kenora that closed in March,
“Our focus has to be on where the needs of the region are going forward,” Walter said, adding that the needs are “a lot stronger” in the other locations.
Local residents, as well as people from surrounding areas who visit Dryden to shop, have expressed concern about the closure, set for Oct. 16.
Donna Earhart and Derrick Leskiw live outside of Dryden, but visit often to shop. “We’ve been travelling to Kenora or Sioux Lookout just to shop since Warehouse One closed down, but now that the Salvation Army has closed down, we depend on that for kids’ clothing,” said Earhart.
Warehouse One closed its Dryden location early this summer along with the rest of its Canadian locations.
Earhart added that she helps people without housing get essentials from the Salvation Army, and she is unsure how they will be able to supply those in need after it closes.
She also believes there will be more shoplifting in the town when fewer affordable options are available.
“You can go here, and you can get a good pair of jeans for a reasonable (price), and they’re just like new,’ said Leskiw.
The closure will make it especially difficult to shop for children, said Ignace resident Lynsay Parsons.
“It’s hard to find school supplies, or things like that that I need for (my daughter), or any essentials in general,” she said.
Parsons continued that because both Sioux Lookout and Fort Frances are far away from the Trans-Canada highway, Dryden is a hub in between both and should have options. “Things are closing down quite often now,” she said.
Dryden resident Bobby Scott said he used to live in Red Lake and would frequently make trips to Dryden for shopping trips.
“It’s a hub here, so it’s just one less option for people to buy locally, which is what I think people should try and strive towards, supporting local businesses,” said Scott.
“It doesn’t feel good when local businesses feel the need to pack up; I think it’s a sign of the current economic times that we’re in in Canada,” he added.
It’s unfortunate the community won’t have a thrift store, Walter said, but the Salvation Army “regularly reassesses its operations to ensure sustainability in the long term.
“Between reassessing where things are in terms of the Dryden store and Northwestern Ontario as a whole, we decided that it was in the best interest to close the store,” he said.
However, Walter explained, the Salvation Army still has its new emergency disaster services truck that can serve anywhere in the region.
“The EDS truck would be deployed as it’s requested, so if there’s an evacuation and we’re called in to help, then we would show up and help with the food truck,” he said.
