Joseph’s Coat will close at the end of July
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| The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of Joseph’s Coat. Bethany House Executive Director Catherine Hassinger is third from the left, next to Mason Supervisor Penny Gross. |
Joseph’s Coat, the thrift store that opened in central
Annandale just over a year ago, will close by the end of July, confirmed Catherine
Hassinger, executive director of Bethany House of Northern Virginia.
“We moved into the store after 18 years in another location
and had a more difficult time than anticipated to build up a customer base,”
Hassinger said. “We had some older clients and it was difficult for them to
travel a bit further to get to us.”
and had a more difficult time than anticipated to build up a customer base,”
Hassinger said. “We had some older clients and it was difficult for them to
travel a bit further to get to us.”
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| Prices on everything in the store are marked down. |
She said the much-larger Goodwill store that opened a few
blocks away in February wasn’t a factor. “That would have been an easy excuse but we
weren’t doing well before that.”
Meanwhile, everything in Joseph’s Coat is 25 percent off.
Prices will drop to 50 percent off next week and 75 percent by the last two
weeks. Everything in the store is being sold, including the shelving.
Prices will drop to 50 percent off next week and 75 percent by the last two
weeks. Everything in the store is being sold, including the shelving.
Hassinger makes it clear that Bethany House itself is not
shutting down. “Please reach out to us,” she says, if you or someone you know
needs help. The organization provides temporary housing and support services to
woman and children affected by domestic abuse. Joseph’s Coat is the only retail shop operated by Bethany
House, and there are no plans to open another store anywhere else.
shutting down. “Please reach out to us,” she says, if you or someone you know
needs help. The organization provides temporary housing and support services to
woman and children affected by domestic abuse. Joseph’s Coat is the only retail shop operated by Bethany
House, and there are no plans to open another store anywhere else.
Joseph’s Coat moved to Annandale in April 2012 to a building
at 7219 Columbia Pike that formerly housed Fairfax Auto Parts. Its former
location, in a shopping center on Annandale Road by Route 50, was demolished to
make way for a new shopping center being developed by Bill Page Honda.
at 7219 Columbia Pike that formerly housed Fairfax Auto Parts. Its former
location, in a shopping center on Annandale Road by Route 50, was demolished to
make way for a new shopping center being developed by Bill Page Honda.
Hassinger said the higher rents being charged for that space
preclude Bethany House from returning to its old location. Other stores
expected to move into the new shopping center include Anthony’s Restaurant, Walgreens, and BB&T Bank.
preclude Bethany House from returning to its old location. Other stores
expected to move into the new shopping center include Anthony’s Restaurant, Walgreens, and BB&T Bank.
Joseph’s Coat has a long-term lease for the building and is trying to find a sub-tenant, said Bob Herbert of Fairfax Auto Parts and a partner in Kaybar Associations, the owner of the property at 7219 Columbia Pike.
One response to “Joseph’s Coat will close at the end of July”
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The local market may be saturated–the Fairfax Hospital-related consignment/thrift shop is also nearby.