The Salvation Army Family Store and Donation Center will close its doors after 28 years of service in Warsaw.
The store on Detroit Street that has been meeting the community's clothing and household needs will close Oct. 31, according to Ken Locke, community ministries director for the Salvation Army.The Chicago Territorial Headquarters of Salvation Army made the decision to close the business.
The Fort Wayne district Salvation Army that operates Warsaw's store notified Locke in September of the headquarter's decision to close Warsaw's store.
A banner hung outside the store Wednesday informing customers the business is having a store closing sale.
Sales are now taking place at the store with all items reduced by 50 percent.
Nancy Fancil, general supervisor for the Fort Wayne district Salvation Army, said the store is closing due to the building not being large enough to process items donated by the community.
She also cited other reasons for the closing include the stores inability to provide adequate access from the street and lack of parking spaces.
"We have an excellent customer base in Warsaw and plan to relocate the business to another location in Warsaw that is larger and has more parking spaces and easier access," Fancil said.
Locke said the goal is to have a building that is large enough for items donated by the community to be processed in Warsaw.
Fancil and Locke have been looking for spaces in Warsaw that could accommodate a new building to house the store.
Locke said Warsaw's Salvation Army advisory board also will look for a property suitable for the business.
"Kosciusko County is a very giving community and we want a store that is large enough to accommodate our customers," Locke said.
The 6,000-square-foot building is owned by local businessman Jim Wilson and the Fort Wayne business district leases and manages the building.
Warsaw's store is operated under the direction of Major Charles Lieurance of Salvation Army's Fort Wayne district.
The Fort Wayne district operates stores in Fort Wayne, Marion, Huntington, Decatur and Auburn.
Warsaw's store first opened in 1979 on Arthur Street and operated at the location for 24 years before moving to the Detroit Street location in April 2001, Locke said.
Donna Geach who has been employed at Warsaw's store for the past four years said she will miss the store.
"We have customers who come in here after they have heard the store is closing and they are in tears," Geach said.
Proceeds from the store benefit the Salvation Army's adult rehabilitation center located in Fort Wayne.
The center is a program to rehabilitate men ages 18 and older who suffer from drug and alcohol abuse problems.
The center employees men to help with processing items for Salvation Army Family Store and Donation Centers in Indiana.
Locke said men from Kosciusko County have been referred to the program.
There will continue to be drop boxes for clothing and household items at Owens on Center Street and at Warsaw's Salvation Army Family Store and Donation Center.
A drop box will be placed at the Salvation Army Community Center, 501 E. Arthur Street.
Store hours for Warsaw's store on Detroit Street are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The store is closed Sundays.
