Discount, thrift stores in Stark County see more customers amid inflation

CANTON ‒ Canned goods. Beauty products. Over-the-counter medicine.

Shoppers go to Family Wholesale on Cromer Avenue NW hoping to save money on a number of household items. The discount store sells everything from dog treats to patio furniture at costs 30% to 70% lower than retail prices. And in recent months, the store has seen an increase in customers.

Jason Stout, president of Family Wholesale, said it's common for liquidation sales, thrift stores and other discount retailers to experience a bump in shoppers during periods of inflation.

"(It's) a time when people need to save money, so they start exploring, you know, kind of the untraditional alternatives," he said.

Shoppers in the U.S. continue to deal with the effects of high inflation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 8.5% rate of inflation in July, a slight drop from the 9.1% year-over-year inflation rate in June. Gas prices decreased in that time frame, but expenses such as food and shelter went up.

Stout started his business in 2016. He buys and sells surplus or closeout merchandise from many national, everyday brands. Shoppers who come in to Family Wholesale may not find a specific brand, but they can expect something similar. Stout said the store can provide important savings for people who need to save money.

"A lot of the times, when times are tight, that's the difference between putting gas in your car or maybe taking your spouse out to dinner. Doing something that you otherwise wouldn't have been able to do," he said.

He said he thinks inflation combined with back-to-school season could help explain Family Wholesale's recent growth. The store has moved a lot of school supplies and apparel as of late, he said.

Other discount retailers in Stark County have noticed a rise in customers, too.

"I can't say that we can definitely point to inflation as the reason, but we have seen an increase in sales," said Maureen Ater, vice president of marketing and development at Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio. "Obviously everyone is trying to save money these days, and shopping secondhand is a great way to save money."

Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio serves 10 counties in Ohio and West Virginia. It has stores in both rural and downtown areas.

Like Stout, Ater said Goodwill stores are typically busier in late summer as students get ready to return to the classroom. The rise of inflation mixed with a flurry of back-to-school shoppers, she said, could be responsible for the growth in sales.

"People walk into our door every day to save money, so it makes sense that during inflationary times we would definitely see a bump in the number of customers coming into Goodwill stores," Ater said.

Eric Strata, owner of Black Sales Liquidation in Alliance, said he has noticed more customers visiting his store at 308 E. Main St. since everyday expenses started to go up. The store sells a variety of merchandise, ranging from clothing to children's toys.

"It feels like the more and more the inflation happens, the more and more these retail stores hike up their prices, the more and more people (are) coming to me," he said.

Goodwill sees growing demand, fewer donations

More shoppers mean an increased need for goods. But Ater said donations to Goodwill stores tend to decline amid inflationary periods.

"People are holding onto things a little longer," she said. "They're maybe not letting go or turning things over in their lives like clothes or housewares as quickly or as they would during times when there isn't inflation or prices aren't as high."

Items such as pots, pans, dishes and other houseware necessities have been donated less frequently over the last year or so, Ater said, while demand for these products has increased. She said it's important for people to know when they donate or shop at Goodwill stores they are helping their communities.

"We want to keep those shelves full, and we want to make sure we have a great selection for that demand that we're seeing this time of year from shoppers," she said.

The parking lot of North Canton's Goodwill store was filled with cars early Friday afternoon, and many shoppers came and went through the doors.

Tiffany Roper, 38, is an avid thrift shopper. The Akron resident owns Thrift Theory & Style, a styling business that specializes in second-hand clothing. Roper said she frequents various thrift stores in the Northeast Ohio area several times a week, looking for unique pieces to buy.

Her shopping habits haven't changed amid the increase in inflation, she said, but she has noticed higher prices at thrift stores on items like clothing.

"I like shopping at Goodwill because it's still pretty affordable," she said.

Another shopper, Maggie Nyeste of Green, said she has always been a big thrift shopper, but that she has become "thriftier than she used to be." She said she looks for a variety of items at the thrift store and will often buy items to donate to the homeless.

Salvation Army sees customers return

The Salvation Army in Northeast Ohio has noticed an uptick in shoppers at its thrift stores since gas prices have gone down.

"The gas increase, when it was going on, really curtailed people coming to us on a regular basis because it was too expensive to get out. It's getting better now. So as the price in gas has reduced, we're starting to see more shoppers started to get out again," said Maj. Van Wirth of the Salvation Army Northeast Ohio Division.

In addition to the return of regular customers, the agency has seen new ones. Wirth said he recently had a conversation with a first-time shopper at one of the Salvation Army's thrift stores.

"What brought you in today?" Wirth asked.

"I'm looking for however I can cut my expenses," the woman said.

The children's section has been popular lately, Wirth said, as parents have bought clothes for their kids to get ready for the new school year.

Meanwhile, donations have remained "pretty solid."

Wirth said funds from the Salvation Army's thrift stores help provide support to its adult rehabilitation centers for those struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. The Salvation Army's Northeast Ohio Division has rehabilitation centers in Akron, Cleveland and Toledo, according to its website.

Donations skyrocketed when the pandemic started, Wirth said, but numbers have returned to normal since then.

Stout said he is happy that his store can help people stretch their dollars.

"In times like this, it makes you feel a little bit better about your business because you really start to realize the service that you do in the community," he said. "You increase (people's) buying power because our everyday prices are 30 to 70% off of retail and then we run even bigger storewide sales periodically."

Similarly, Strata said his focus when he opened Black Sales Liquidation was to do good in his hometown of Alliance. He said he has felt the support of the community as customers have come in looking for deals.

"I definitely feel like over the last six to eight months people are just so appreciative of my business and so appreciative of the prices," Strata said. "I mean, I hear it every day when I ring them up and give them their total. They're just so shocked, and they thought it would be so much more."

Reach Paige at 330-580-8577 or pmbennett@gannett.com, or on Twitter at @paigembenn.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark County discount, thrift stores see more customers amid inflation