Thrift store gives Salvation Army year-round presence

By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
    Houlton Town Councilor Sue Tortello says: “Lots of time you don’t think of the Salvation Army except at Christmastime when they do the kettle drive. But the Salvation Army is a real presence here in Houlton all year round.”  That presence became even more evident last week when Captain and Mrs. Steven H. Pearl opened the Salvation Army Thrift Store at 2 Pleasant Street with plenty of space for bargains on clothing, electronics, furniture, books, knick knacks and holiday merchandise.
The perfect location
Houlton Pioneer Times photograph/Elna Seabrooks
BARGAIN TIME — Mrs. Irma Pearl, standing next to her husband Capt. Steven H. Pearl and employee Carrie Sanders, cuts the red ribbon at the Salvation Army Thrift Store’s new location on Pleasant Street.  Houlton Town Councilor Sue Tortello, second from left, joined the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce members Debbie Henderson, left, Kent Good and Ben Adams along with Executive Director Lori Weston, second from left, in wishing them well for the opening.�
    Saying one of the first things he wanted to do when he arrived in Houlton was to re-open a thrift store, Capt. Pearl searched for about a year for “a large showroom with plenty of parking and space for sorting material.” Although the Pleasant Street location was for sale, he says he worked out a leasing deal with the owner who did “a lot of work” on the property that, at one time, had been a furniture store and a church.
    Lori Weston, executive director of the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce, was on hand for the ribbon cutting and said: “I think this is a perfect location. It’s got great parking, it’s easy access for folks and it’s a much needed store for our town.  I think it will be very successful.”  Pearl said the thrift store has had “a very good response even though we’ve  only been open a week.”
A store for the community
    Capt. Pearl’s wife, Irma, says: “We are hoping that the money we generate from this will help people in the community with fuel assistance, or whatever. That’s the purpose of the thrift store. It’s to put it back into the community. So, the more we make, the more we can help people in the community.”
    With a wide smile of support, Tortello said: “This is something that Capt. Pearl and Mrs. Pearl have been wanting to do for quite some time. They have a very successful store up in Presque isle.  And, it’s nice that they have been able to open one here .… This is just one more thing that they can add to their list of services that they offer to the people of Houlton.” Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. And, the Pearls request any donations be taken to the thrift store location on Pleasant Street before 4 p.m., not their Court Street office.
    Adding that he hopes to purchase a small truck for picking up large donations and making deliveries, The Captain, with a wink in his eye, reminds everyone that they shouldn’t leave empty-handed. “They have to come in and shop.”