news-record.com

GREENSBORO — A new store will open on North Elm Street today — a boutique offering fine clothes for even finer deals.

But more importantly, owners say, the proceeds help people in Greensboro, from the homeless seeking shelter to the young seeking guidance.

The Salvation Army hopes to bring in $50,000 a year to aid such programs from sales at its newest store, Salvation Army Select , said Maj. Paul Egan.

“It’s not your typical Salvation Army Family Store,” he said.

Indeed. No white-walled, box store for this reinvention of thrift shopping.

The 5,000-square-foot site is split equally between store space and donation space.

Small spotlights line the low tile ceilings. Walls painted in warm, chocolate brown and cool blue present the backdrop.

Long, vertical banners direct shoppers to the women’s, men’s and children’s sections.

White lantern-style lights hang over each of the four changing rooms.

A huge putty mural by local artist Sage Hanna covers the back wall behind the registers.

The trademark Salvation Army red shield tilts slightly, presenting a new look for the longtime community agency.

“This is going to wow people,” said Hope Chapman, a Lake Jeanette resident who also is a member of the committee that worked on creating the store.

“People are going to think they are going into an upscale store,” she said. “And they are.”

UNCG students came up with the concept and built the store’s custom fixtures and a flexible donation sorting system as part of a community service project.

One of the lead designers, recent UNCG graduate Matt Jones, said the idea was to create an upscale store that still offered great deals for the thrift shopper.

“We wanted that boutique atmosphere,” he said, “but we didn’t want to erase that idea of the thrill of the hunt.”

David Perrin, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at UNCG, thanked the Salvation Army for involving students. He called the store a “shining example of what students can do when they combine service with learning.”

The Salvation Army had been saving money for years as officials toyed with the idea of opening a second store as a companion to the Family Store on West Lee Street. They wanted to reach out to an area that didn’t appear to be donating to the existing store because of inconvenience, Egan said.

The new site in north Greensboro creates that convenience while offering a new place to shop.

Expect to pay more for clothes here, with apparel from well-known designers and brands.

No more $2 steals. But there will still be great deals, Egan said, with most items priced between $2.99 and $6.99.

“You can stretch a $20 bill here,” Egan said.

But shoppers may want to bring some extra cash because some of the higher-end pieces approach the $50 mark.

Contact Jennifer Fernandez at 373-7064 or jennifer.fernandez@news-record.com