PORT ANGELES — Serenity House of Clallam County is opening a retail warehouse in Port Angeles today.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at the warehouse showroom at 520 E. First St.
The 6,000-square-foot space is filled with bargain-priced chairs, couches, tables and other furniture.
It is located a half-block east of the existing Serenity House thrift store in the historic church at First and Vine streets.
“We are excited to be able to display more quality furniture of all kinds, and also appliances, at great prices and to be able to accept larger donations to support Serenity House’s ongoing mission of ending homelessness in Clallam County,” store manager Richard Stephens said.
Serenity House is a community-based nonprofit dedicated to providing shelter and services for homeless individuals and families.
Its mission is to eliminate homelessness in the community.
Major fundraiser
Serenity House Executive Director Kathy Wahto said the sale of thrift merchandise has become the single-largest fundraiser for emergency shelters as state and federal funding has declined.
She added that the warehouse will provide much-needed floor space for retail.
“I think in some ways, it’s like a little treasure box,” said Wahto while helping Stephens and a team of volunteers arrange and price furniture Thursday.
Serenity House will hold a four-day holiday weekend sale today through Monday.
Holiday sale
All items in the warehouse will be 25 percent off, and all merchandise in the main store at 502 E. First St. will be 50 percent off.
The Serenity House-owned warehouse formerly was used as a street outreach center, Wahto said.
It was a distributorship prior to that.
The thrift store and warehouse showroom are open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.
For more information or to donate items to Serenity House, phone Stephens at 360-452-4711 or email paserenitythrift@gmail.com.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
