Related
She hears it all - the fear and confusion and disgust.

In fact, Phyllis Gibbs might very well know more about middle America as a Goodwill store manager than the most well-known talk show hosts and public opinion analysts.

"People are afraid about retirement accounts, about not being able to pay mortgages," Gibbs said Monday afternoon from the Goodwill she oversees on Roosevelt Avenue in York City. "They're trying to stretch a dollar as far as they can and watching every penny."

She stood near her rear office in the store while customers scrutinized everything from used furniture and appliances to shoes and clothing.

Patrons picked up items, looked at price tags and made decisions to buy or keep looking. The store is one of

Stephanie Whipple of West York is reflected in mirrors while shopping for household items at the Goodwill Industries shop on Roosevelt Avenue in York. Whipple says she regularly checks the store's selection for household goods. (Bill Kalina Photo)
three in York County and among 39 in Central Pennsylvania where both sales and donations are up, Gibbs said.

It's a place where cash-strapped and frugal shoppers find deals that help them meet household budgets.

Bargain hunting: Shoppers Monday included Beth Foley, a 25-year-old wife and soon-to-be mother. She and her mother, Dottie Barshinger of New Salem, made the rounds shopping for furniture, household accessories and clothing.

Foley and her husband, Brendan Foley, also 25, recently moved back to the area from Florida. Foley said they're tight on money so instead of rushing to discount stores like Target or Wal-Mart, they opted to buy used.

They paid $50 for a bookshelf and two nightstands, items that both said

Advertisement
Do you have tips for saving money during these tough economic times? Send them to staff writer Christina Kauffman and we'll share them with our readers.
they would have paid more than $100 for at a discount retailer.

"These look like they've never been put together," Barshinger said after loading the items into a minivan. "They're still in the boxes and I don't think they've ever been unwrapped."

Gibbs said Goodwill shoppers tend to be between 25 and 50 years old, women with children or grandchildren looking for a deal.

Donations come in daily - 209 donors stopped by last week - and are sorted, priced and boxed for sale. The items are placed on the floor incrementally with seasonal goods stocked for appropriate release.

New items are placed on the racks and shelves daily, Gibbs said.

Profit hunter: While all patrons are bargain hunters, some also manage to make a buck on their finds.

Lisa Wilson, a 47-year-old mother of three, took her time inside the store. She perused clothing racks looking at labels and prices. Wilson is co-owner of a Lewisburg, Union County, vintage clothing shop called WilsonRoss.

She'd dropped two of her sons at Reid Menzer Memorial Skatepark and headed to Goodwill. She found it and several other bargain stores online and mapped her first trip to York City.

Wilson filled a red shopping cart with a 1970s plaid, wool cape complete with velvet trim and fringe. A faux fur coat also made the basket as did several sweaters and record albums - those were 47 cents each. She said she'd mark up items for sale in her shop that features everything from Brooks Brothers to Ralph Lauren.

"This will look adorable," she said holding up the plaid poncho. She said she'd pair it with skinny jeans, boots and other accessories to tie old with new. "I guarantee this will be (sold) next week."

-- Reach Kathy Stevens at 505-5437 or ksteven´s@yorkdispatch.com.