Jessye Norman School of the Arts to open a new downtown thrift store
Running his hands over the knobs and switches of an only possibly repairable keyboard, Gary Dennis, Executive Director of the Jessye Norman School of the Arts, sees more than merely an old instrument that has been possibly loved a little too well.
He sees art classes and podcasts. He sees performances and young lives illuminated by the arts.
He sees a lot.
Like many arts organizations, the Jessye Norman School of the Arts has, for more than 20 years, learned the importance of operating frugally. Developed to offer professional fine arts instructions to students that might otherwise not have access, the school has always depended on grants, donations and the like to fund operations. In an effort to develop some alternative revenue, the Jessye Norman has taken over a small space on 8th Street near the school’s Greene Street location, transforming it into the Second Act Thrift Store.
“We differ from a lot of non-profits in that we don’t have a built-in revenue stream,” Dennis said. “We don’t charge tuition. We don’t sell tickets for performances. This gives us some control over that. It gives us a little income.”
Even in its unfinished state, Second Act defies the dusty expectations of a traditional thrift retailer. The items assembled feel more cared for and carefully curated. The space is less junk-and-jumble than a careful assemblage of items organized by type. And while Second Act’s team of admittedly amateur merchandisers may shift and sort a time or two before the store opens on September 20, the clusters of records, musical instruments, art supplies, vintage clothing and mid-century knick knacks are all being presented as something significant and more than merely the cast-offs of a previous owner.
“We would like this to have sort of a boutique feel,” Dennis said. “We want to be a little more selective in what we select and sell here.”
Dennis said he was initially inspired by a visit to the Rockfish Valley Community Center in Nellysford, Virginia. Although the Center houses a variety of small businesses and services, Dennis said the only things he took from his visit were a few items purchased at the Center’s thrift shop and an annual report. It was the annual report that turned out to be the real treasure.
“There in the back of the book, was the community center’s financial report – and 27% of its annual revenue, more than $140 thousand, came from thrift store sales,” he said. “I just thought that was incredible.”
Dennis said that if the store nets more than $50 thousand in the first year it can be profitable. If it is ‘wildly successful’ and grosses more than $100 thousand, about eight percent of the school’s operating costs will be covered by the store.
“That’s eight percent we didn’t have before, coming from donated items,” he said. “And that eight percent is really important.”
Dennis said that finding funding and judicious budgeting is often incredibly difficult, and that Second Act could well save programs, students slots and educational opportunities.
“We have, in the past, had to cut back some programs because of budget,” he said. We hate that. Every dollar here is important and every dollar goes to programming.”
In addition to the thrift store, Second Act will also house a short-run screen printing shop. The idea is to give not only students, but also local creators, a space where they can print runs of 50 or less. Dennis hopes to have both the print shop and thrift store align with what is, ultimately, the goal of the Jessye Norman School of the Arts.
“We want to be part of the community,” he said. “More than that, we want to contribute.”
And he believes Second Act, like the keyboard he will later take home to repair, has potential.
The Second Act Thrift Store’s grand opening is at 4 p.m. Friday, September 20 and will feature refreshments and a performance by Tara & Erin.
If you go
Store hours are 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Donations are accepted 1 – 7 p.m. every Tuesday.
For more information, click here.