ST. GEORGE — Deseret Industries, the nonprofit chain of thrift stores run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are beginning to reopen this week.
According to a press release from the church, several stores, including stores in Cedar City and St. George, have reopened as of Tuesday.
Additional openings are happening this week and in the following weeks in locations across Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Idaho. Openings in California and Washington state are yet to be announced.
A listing of the specific locations and when they will reopen can be found on the Deseret Industries’ website.
The stores were originally closed March 17 due to COVID-19 concerns. With the subsequent reopening, there comes a level of change and restrictions returning patrons need to be aware of:
- Initially, donations at all stores will be by appointment only. Cedar City: 435-586-3337 | St. George: 435-652-8232
- The stores have shifted to a touchless donation process, and ask that donors pre-sort donations before arriving. Read more here.
- Donations of mattresses and box springs are no longer accepted. See a full list of prohibited items at deseretindustries.org/donate.
- Deseret Industries will quarantine donations. This will limit the number of items that can be accepted during the initial reopening period.
- Donation drop-off operations may close early because of increased demand and the time required to quarantine each donation.
- Donors are asked to wait in their vehicle until it is their turn to donate. Once they have reached the drop-off area, donors can remove items from their car and place them in the designated bins or carts.
- Donors are encouraged to wear masks.
- Store hours have been reduced. These hours will be changing over time, but most stores will operate Tuesday–Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Safety measures will be in place at all stores. This includes all staff and associates wearing masks and gloves. All shoppers and donors are encouraged to wear masks as well.
Additional safety measures at Deseret Industries locations include reducing the number of customers in the store at one time, keeping fitting rooms and restrooms closed, sanitizing carts between customer use, and other measures.
“We expect an influx of donations into our stores,” Brent Palmer, Deseret Industries manager of operations, said in the press release. “We are so grateful for everyone who has waited to donate, and we want to accept as many donations as possible. Donated items allow us to help the associates in our job-training program.”
In addition to being shrift stores and donation centers, Deseret Industries is also used for job training and employment for those in the community. Despite being closed, all staff and employees continued to be paid during the pandemic, according to the press release.
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.