Thrift store opening Tuesday

By NEIL O. NELSON
Hillsboro’s newest business will open its doors Tuesday, at 10 o’clock in the morning.
That’s Jeanne Stigen’s plan and she’s sticking to it.
“Come whatever, that’s my plan. We’re going to open Tuesday.”
The Lighthouse Thrift Store, a non-profit business incorporated to help a Christian Children’s Home, will open in the store front at Paul’s Hometown Repair, which for decades was home to Hillsboro’s Ford new car dealership.
The August 21 new store opening will be celebrated with coffee and baked goods.
Stigen will operate the thrift store from 10 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through windows that front the building. Inside the windows, merchandise is on display; outside the windows, the curious are found looking in.
Word of mouth has produced literally a bountiful cargo of merchandise for the new thrift store.
Merchandise donated to the store just keeps coming in, hinted Stigen, while the store opening is just days away.
Pricing of the merchandise, which ranges from clothing for the entire family to everything and anything found in homes today, will be completed today and tomorrow (Saturday).
Jeanne Stigen is admittedly excited.
“I’ve always thought this would be
a fun thing to do. People like nice things at an affordable price.”
People also like a deal, she knows.
The store opening, while exciting, has its challenges.
“This is so new,” admits Stigen.
Challenging to the point of exhaustion, Stigen and friends understand “once the store is up and running” the real work starts. Keeping a thrift store stocked while at the same time moving merchandise out the front door will in the long run determine the success of the Lighthouse Thrift Store.
It all begins Tuesday morning.
“We’ll be ready,” Jeanne Stigen promises.
She’ll be there for the long run, too, she’s confident.