 The storefront that was once Payless Shoes will be occupied, and the
space that is now the Salvation Army Family Thrift Store will be
vacant.
The Salvation Army store has been a mainstay in the Lincoln
community for more than 40 years and is the second-oldest thrift in
Lincoln, with only the Pink Shutter downtown having been in business
longer.
The store is a part of the Springfield Salvation Army family of
thrift stores, with the net profits going to support a men's shelter
and rehab center in Springfield.
According to a letter received Thursday from the Springfield
offices, the economy and competition have taken their toll on the
Lincoln store, and corporate officials have concluded that they can
no longer afford to keep it open.
The store is set to close June 30.
Below is the letter received by Lincoln Daily News:
(Copy)
Letter to the
Editor:
The Salvation Army
wishes to thank all of the people of Logan County for their many
years of support. Unfortunately no one is immune from our countries
economic downturn. It has become necessary due to transportation
costs, increasing competition, and declining sales, to permanently
close our Lincoln Family Thrift store effective June 30, 2011.
Our stores provide
necessary funding for our 85 bed rehabilitation facility and with
the decline in our operating revenue; we have had to make some
unanticipated decisions and cuts in order to continue to operate
this program.
[to top of second column] |
 The Salvation Army
still stands with the community. We will still offer services to
those in the community who need us through The Salvation Army
Service Extension unit.
The need still
exists but it would show poor stewardship to continue to operate
facilities without the necessary revenue to simply cover the
operating costs of those facilities.
Hopefully this news
will be understood to have come only after very difficult discussion
and financial analysis.
The Salvation Army
[LDN]
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