Hastings Salvation Army store to move into ToolShed building

The Hastings Salvation Army Family Store was frantic with customers buying their last treasures as the store closed this week to move to new premises.

The store in Heretaunga St West closed its doors for the last time on January 30 and will move only a few doors along the road and into the ToolShed building.

Hastings Salvation Army Family Store staff Elisa Ngaronoa-Walters (left), Fiona Kelsen, Jackie Hanara and Carolynn Angell. Photo / Paul Taylor

The new shop is set to open in June but in the meantime, donations can still be made at the Salvation Army store in Warren St, Hastings or at any of the other five stores in Hawke’s Bay.

Hawke’s Bay area family store manager Fiona Kelsen said she was excited to reveal that the store would stay local.

The building the store was in had sold and would be demolished and the site redeveloped, with staff and stock relocated to the Warren St store in Hastings.

Kelsen said they were not moving stores because of the mess that is often left outside the store.

“We are excited for the opportunity to stay local, with improved parking and a larger site to better serve our Hastings West community.

“It’s pretty much drive-through drop-off, which is great.”

She said the motto of the store was “priced to sell today”, and they had managed to keep interest with fresh donations available to purchase.

Some customers had come into the store every single day for 19 years, and Kelsen wanted to thank them.

Long-time customer Janine Clapperton says the area needs a second-hand store. Photo / Paul Taylor

Janine Clapperton, 67, is a long-time customer who attended the store’s opening in 2005, and was there on the day of its closure.

She said the day it opened was as crazy as the day it closed because of its “ultra-good prices” and the staff, who provided a personal experience.

“It’s a bit sad, but I know they are only going down the road, so we are not losing them.”

Clapperton said she could always find great brands for low cost and the prices ranged from $2 to $20, but never higher.

Kelsen said second-hand shopping had increased in popularity due to people making more-ethical shopping choices, and higher prices at Christmas because of the increased cost of living.

She recalled one of the best donations they received was in October, from a shop that closed and had donated up to 500 pairs of brand-new shoes.

“I know that what we are doing here and what we are selling here is going to stay and help the people of Napier and Hastings, which is awesome.”

Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and has a love for sharing stories about farming and rural communities.