Mission Mart opens its doors at a new location

[May 31, 2014]  LINCOLN - Friday morning, guests were anxiously awaiting the snipping of the ribbon at the grand opening of the new Mission Mart location in Lincoln. Mission Mart has been in Lincoln for 20 years, with its most recent location on Broadway Street, across from the Logan County Courthouse. This spring, the Mission Mart announced they would be relocating to 129 N. Sangamon Street.

The new location was going to afford more retail space and also allow an opportunity to begin offering some new community services to those who are in need in the area.

Friday, Matt Dratt said that the new location is not a thrift store; it is a retail business, offering quality merchandise in a comfortable setting.

Mission Mart is owned and operated by Home Sweet Home Ministries in Bloomington. Friday, the chief executive officer of HSHM, Mary Ann Pullin said the firm was anxious to bring a new jobs project to Lincoln. She explained that HSHM had reached out to area employers and found that there were jobs in the region that are not being filled. At the same time there are people in the community in need of jobs.

She said the new program HSHM will introduce in Lincoln is called “Jobs for Life.” The program will include a multiple week training program to assist those in need of jobs in becoming more qualified to fill vacant positions. The program will also include bringing employers and potential employees together through an interview process.

Pullin said HSHM couldn’t guarantee employers will hire trainees, but the interview process will get their foot in the door, so to speak, and at the same time will allow trainees to get some experience in what is involved in the interview process.

HSHM has been operating their outreach ministries in the Bloomington area for several years with some success.

Locally, HSHM has made their products and services available through the Bloomington offices for those in need of food and clothing. Last year they partnered with Open Arms Fellowship and sold “turkey cards” in their store to help raise money to support the church’s annual Thanksgiving feast.

When it came time to cut the ribbon on Friday morning, the Lincoln/Logan Chamber Ambassadors, along with the chamber’s executive director Andi Hake, Pullin and Drat of HSHM and Matt Burgess also of HSHM gathered outside the building.

Drat welcomed guests and spoke briefly about the mission of HSHM. Pullin also spoke, as did Burgess. Pastor Larry Crawford of Open Arms Fellowship added a few words before delivering a prayer of dedication for the new facility.

Burgess and Pullin then together snipped the ribbon and opened the door to customers. There were plenty of those on hand as the building quickly filled with shoppers anxious to see the new store and new merchandise that had been brought in.

In addition, everyone had an opportunity to view a movie about the ‘Jobs for Life’ project as well as gather pamphlets and information on the program.

[By NILA SMITH]