Check Out Mary Toney’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Toney.

Mary, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I taught elementary art classes at Sandusky City Schools for 34 years and I have been a longtime member of Grace Episcopal Church. When I retired, the Thrift Store was in the process of moving. I volunteered to help paint the new location. I had no intention of volunteering on a regular basis until the manager’s husband told me that it might need to close without more volunteers. I started a little begrudgingly but ended up enjoying my days there.
The Thrift Store switched to a steering committee which included one person from each day. I was asked to join. We made some changes to make shop more attractive to the customers. Womens tops were arranged by size and color. Half price sales were added and a Bag Sale occurs the first week of each month. A plastic bag can be filled of items of a certain tag color for $1.00.

Three years ago, it was decided by the church that we needed someone to chair the committee. I asked the oldest member of the committee who she thought should chair the committee and she chose me.
The Thrift Store is part of Grace Episcopal Church’s outreach programs. It is the oldest Thrift Store in Sandusky. We are now in our 77th year of continuous operation. It was originally started by the Junior League to buy things for the church but now all our profits go to local charities.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road of a volunteer organization always has its ups and downs. The Thrift Store is financially independent from Grace Episcopal Church with our profits supporting Erie County charities. We were closed for a number of months during the pandemic. When we reopened, it took a long time for our sales to return to normal levels. We were fortunate that the church helped us pay our bills until we were able to repay the church.
Our biggest challenge is always finding enough volunteers. We have many loyal volunteers but we often need more on certain days. We ask them to work four hours, once a week. Each day becomes a group of friends working together.

Making changes to update the store can be challenging. It took time for the committee to see the need for a credit card machine because of the expense involved. The same was true for a cash register.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
The Thrift Store sells gently used clothing, jewelry, shoes and boots. Some of our items arrive new, with tags still attached. Our goal is to sell items we would want to wear ourselves. Our volunteers are some of our best customers!
We also have linens, home decor, and household items. Seasonal items are available, especially Christmas items. We receive new items at the Thrift Store on a daily basis. We have a great selection of items at very reasonable prices.
The Thrift Store strives to be a welcoming place to browse and shop. Thrift shopping is enjoyed by customers from those on a limited budget, to someone looking for a great purchase at a bargain price, to someone looking for a unique item. Customers are welcome to take a quick look for an item or stay to check out the whole store.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I have loved to cook since I was young. My love of traveling was inspired by a trip to The 1964 World’s Fair in New York. Art was always part of my life as well as reading. I was a lifetime member of the library by third grade.

Pricing:

• Tops and shirts $4.00 – $5.00
• Pants $5.00
• Sweaters $5.00 – $6.00
• Children clothes $2.00 – $4.00

Contact Info:

• Facebook: Grace Episcopal Church Thrift Shop