STANWOOD — The word thrift might not come to mind when the cost of the nonprofit Stanwood Camano Food Bank’s new building project is considered.
The group purchased the old Bryant Hardware store for $495,000 in August. Since then, it has spent another $200,000 on renovations.
Those fixes have a sense of urgency. The group wants to put its thrift store — their main moneymaker — at the old hardware location, 27030 102nd Ave. NW.
The group shut down its original thrift store more than a year ago when it moved to 8530 Cedarhome Drive. The approximately 4,000 square feet was about half as big as its previous space, so the group only had room for the food bank.
Opening the thrift store will be a huge relief after all that downtime, said Jeanie Ovenell, executive director. "Oh, lands — with no income coming in — it’s a real strain," she said.
The building needed a new roof, new walls, new wiring and a new heating system, Ovenell said.
"There’s been work going on continually," she said. "Every time they open up something, they find a little more has to be done."
The new building’s 11,000 square feet will have room for the thrift store and food bank. Renovations on the thrift store should be finished sometime in May, Ovenell said.
That will allow revenue to start coming in while the group works on renovating the food bank area of the building during the summer.
The Stanwood Planning Commission recommended that the City Council amend the city’s zoning code to add food banks as a permitted use in that area.
That amendment is not expected to be politically difficult, said Stephanie Cleveland, the city’s planning director. The change is expected to be on the council’s agenda in May. Even though food banks are not yet in the code, a thrift store already is a permitted use there, she added.
Despite the big costs, the group has managed to avoid taking out a bank loan, Ovenell said.
The group is making payments directly to the hardware owners, Ovenell said. Renovations have been paid for with savings set aside at various times throughout the group’s 25-year history.
Walking through the old hardware store and talking over the blare of air compressors, John Galbreath, the food bank’s president, said the new building is actually a combination of four connected buildings
The two southern rooms will be for the thrift store, one for clothing and one for furniture.
"We’re well-known for our used clothing," Galbreath said.
The next room will be for the food bank. On the north end, a large storage room will give the group ample space for walk-in freezers, loading and unloading.
Having moved several times, the group is looking forward to making the transition from renters to owners, Ovenell said. "After 25 years, we will own our own place and never have to move again," she said.
Reporter Scott Morris: 425-339-3292 or smorris@heraldnet.com.
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