Finally, a key player in the dramatic news of the imminent closure of Capitol Hill institution Value Village has spoken out on the issue:
Ah hell no!!! …. https://t.co/yAqfpJgiAP
— Macklemore (@macklemore) October 28, 2015
Ah, hell no. Indeed. The independent rap artist and Capitol Hill resident linked to the Seattle Times story linking to our report :(
The Capitol Hill thrift shop, part of a national chain of stores headquartered in Bellevue, is slated to close on November 7th after 20 years on 11th Ave.
“Though unfortunate, certain business conditions have made it necessary to close our Value Village thrift store in the Capitol Hill neighborhood after a number of years of leasing the space on a month-to-month basis,” a company spokesperson told CHS.
A representative from developer Legacy Commercial, owned by Tom Ellison who also serves as the chairman of the board for Value Village/Savers and is owner of the 11th Ave buildings home to the store and The Stranger, tells CHS that the company is still moving forward with plans for a preservation incentive-boosted 75-foot high office and mixed-use development that will incorporate the two landmark protected, auto row-era structures. In the meantime, the giant space is available for a short-term retail tenant.
Meanwhile, some of the nostalgic love for Value Village may quickly fade as the rapidly growing company’s business practices and competition with nonprofits face increased scrutiny and criticism.
UPDATE 11/5/2015: If you’re really, really sad and can’t even muster the energy to Google, here’s a roster of vintage and thrift opportunities nearby:
- Lifelong Thrift, 312 Broadway E
- Out of the Close Thrift, 1016 E Pike
- Goodwill, 115 Belmont Ave E
- Take 2, 430 15th Ave E
- Pretty Parlor, 119 Summit Ave E
- Revival, 233 Broadway E
- Crossroads Trading Co., 325 Broadway E
- Le Frock, 613 E Pike
- No Parking, 1102 E Pike
- Two Big Blondes, 2501 S Jackson
Was just there today… Things are coming down! I found one of the most amazing thrift store finds of my life there, it will be missed. http://i.imgur.com/3vmLiIt.jpg
First of all, Value Village is * not* a thrift store. It is a for profit store owned by a fat cat in Bellevue. There are real thrift stores who donate their profits to causes such as the Lifelong AIDS Alliance thrift at 312 Broadway. There’s also an AIDS charity thrift at 1016 E Pike St.
Value Village is way overpriced.
First of all, it is thriftier than most stores but not as thrifty as a few others. Second, you can’t start a sentence with “First of all” unless the word “second” is somewhere else in your opinion of what a thrift store is.
First of all, second of all, third of all. Hell of a business model to take free items and mark them up to whatever you feel like that day.
I think what Joseph is trying to say is that Value Village likes to create the impression that they’re a non-profit, that ALL the money raised there goes to charity (and doesn’t dissuade anyone from the belief); and it doesn’t. While it’s true SOME profits go to charity, it’s not non-profit. You may care, you may not- whatever. There are other thrift stores on C.H. that are for-profit, it’s not like they’re the only ones (Crossroads Trading?). They just don’t try to give the impression they’re not-for-profit. If someone wants to shop 2nd-hand stores that donate ALL their profits to charity, we still have Lifelong’s store on Broadway, and AHF’s thrift store on Pike and 10th. Both support people living with HIV. And Goodwill helps people “with barriers to employment learn the skills to find competitive employment”. I’m sure fans of thrift stores will be sad to see VV go, but it’s not like we don’t still have plenty of good options left on Capitol Hill.
$5 shirts and $10 pants are “way overpriced”? Well, I’m sure you can find lower prices…at a homeless shelter clothing drive.
I agree! I have nostalgia for that location since I’ve shopped there since it opened (hell, I shopped there when it was REI as a kid), but I am not a fan of their business model – very deceptive.
What exactly is YOUR definition of a thrift store?Value Village,Goodwill and St,Vincent dePaul all have operating costs,just like any other business.They are still cheaper than brand new prices.If you really want it for free,Don,t shave for about a week,put on some old dirty,holy clothes and go to a Union Gospel Mission,They might be able to help you out.You will be a fraud,but if your conscience will let you live with that,go for it.
The left and radical Capitol Hill Illuminati may be spewing hate on Value Village but it has been a long standing favorite option of many shoppers who utilize Goodwill and small thrift stores as well. So what if it is for profit, almost all businesses are. It is going to be missed. Hope y’all enjoy the multi million dollar condos that will replace it.
Yeah, we know you would prefer right wing conservatives on Capitol Hill. Maybe you should recruit some.
Who would spend a million dollars on an apartment in that filthy neighborhood?
You don’t think having hobos, drug addicts, gang bangers, and woo girls all over the streets is worth a few million dollars?
I agree with Optimum’s sentiments and post. Thank you for it.
Who is this “Macklemore”? (smiles)
I don’t care if it isn’t a real “charity” operation, Value Village was a great place to pick up affordable stuff and re-use things instead of buying new. I’m sad to see them leave the neighborhood- but glad that Chicken Soup and Goodwill are still nearby.
Agreed. I could afford to shop here and purchased a lot of truly great items at VV through the years. I, too, am glad that Goodwill and the other thrift shops are still on the Hill.
Just what we need…..another “mixed use” overpriced retail shops catering to tech employees on the bottoms and WAY overpriced condos also catering to tech employees on top. *barf*
Gentrification kills the cool things.
It’s worth noting that the Legacy Corporation that is developing the site is a Bellevue based company who started in 1988 as the “John Galt Corporation” – seriously. It is owned by Tom Ellison, a noted conservative who owns a number of properties throughout the West Coast.
His company pocketed money meant for charities. From the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/25/business/thrift-chain-said-to-pocket-money-meant-for-charity.html?_r=0
He bought a $21 million dollar mansion from the Strom-Glazer family in 2011: http://seattle-mansions.blogspot.com/2013/04/216-m-mi-estate-ellison-stroum-glazer.html
I have spent many days perusing the shelves at that VV. It was one of the fun things I did when I went to Capitol Hill. I will be sad to see it go. Just think I travelled quite far and still wanted to visit that particular thrift store. I live 10 hrs straight north of Great Falls Montana across the 49th parallel.
I have spent a few years living outside under a bridge with very severe epilepsy having seizures on a monthly basis. Value Village on Cap Hill was the cheapest, best place I ever found to shop at in my life. I brag how I never spent more than a dollar for any of my clothes…most of which are designer names. The charities never come close in offering me the selection or prices that this store has. Damn, this has been a lousy week and it just keeps getting worse. Maybe I should go start a protest in front of the place and see if we can save the place like Cap Hill got upset when the Fred Meyer closed down. Remember? :)
Just in to VV today to get a last minute (minimal) Haloween thing. They are basically done now. A good deal of the space is empty. They are closing November 7.
When I visit Seattle a couple times a year, I al ways go to Value Village. Last time was back in Sept 2015. My son out there just told me they are closed. Such a shame. I loved shopping there, I was devastated to hear. Great store and good prices on the things I bought.