“We want to make sure that the people that want to stay in those units can stay there.
Mercy House, however, does not intend to displace these tenants, instead deciding to take a longer approach. The building also includes six apartments, which are all currently occupied by previous tenants. “We have a greater economy of scale when you own the building and you’re able to defer some of those sunk costs into that of the retail operation into the broader operation of the building itself,” Porter said. The move, which the organization completed in late November, has saved money because of the higher overhead costs in Harrisonburg, especially because the organization owns the entire building where the store is now located. The organization had opened that store in 2015. Mercy House still operates its thrift store on South High Street in Harrisonburg but closed its thrift boutique, which was located on University Boulevard. We believe that it’s going to improve the overall community.” “We viewed the opportunity in Timberville as an opportunity to also do something good for the town of Timberville…the retail space had been vacant for years,” Porter said, “But now we’ve got something that you can anchor that downtown area with, and people are gonna want to come to our location. Six months after Mercy House moved its second thrift store to Timberville (from University Boulevard in Harrisonburg), Shannon Porter, the organization’s executive director, explained that the decision is part of a broader strategy aimed at providing more opportunities for low-income people. Video and reporting by Chase Downey, contributor
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