Business Name: The Salvation Army — Family Store
Location: 2125 Harkrider, Suite 10
Telephone: 501-329-3158
Website: salvationarmy.org — Facebook: The Salvation Army Conway or The Salvation Army Thrift Store-Conway.
Date opened: Internationally 1865, Conway location 1995
Number of employees: 7 and 2 Corps Officers
What type of business is it? Affordable Second Hand Family Store
What specifically does your business do? Accepts donated goods and resells them at affordable low costs to assist the community with services, such as food assistance, emergency utility assistance, Angel Tree programs, youth & adult programs and of course, affordable clothing, furnishing and home goods for shoppers to purchase.
Owner OR Manager Name: Lieutenants Russell & Jamie Clay, Corps Officers and Holly Hernandez, Family Store Manager.
Why did you decide to open this business/location? To aide our shoppers with a more pleasant eye appealing shopping experience, better parking and more square footage for a more spacious floor plan.
What is the best part about owning/operating this business? Ministering and praying with the public in our store when needed. Seeing how having affordable items makes such a difference for those less fortunate to shop with the same feeling as those who go to the large department stores.
What has been the biggest surprise that has happened since opening this business? To see the community excitement for us to have a new location. Every day people has came to our new location while we were remodeling, asking when we are opening and telling us “they just can’t wait!”
What is the best piece of advice you received before going into this business? Always follow God, keep your priorities right, God first, family second and job third. And your life will be blessed.
What is the most important piece of advice you would give to someone starting out in business? The same as I received as listed above. And too always listen and reflect on those who have gone before you and get a mentor in your same job field.
What makes your business unique to Conway and Faulkner County? We not only provide affordable clothing and furnishings from our Family Store, but we also minister to the spiritual needs of our customers; as The Salvation Army we are a church first and foremost and we care for the whole person; physically, mentally, financially and spiritually without discrimination.