collecting the Collector
On March 18, I was checking out of my favorite thrift stores when I asked Ya-Ya, my favorite clerk, if she was worried about the latest news on The Virus. “We’ve got hundreds of people who come through every day and we’re touching their stuff, their money, the pens they use to sign receipts ... I’m really getting nervous here.”
Three days later, the thrift shop closed and didn’t open again until May 4 (I live in Texas). For thrift shops that benefit local charities, a seven-week shutdown is a major blow to annual finances and the ability to help those in need. It’s also a blow to shoppers who are used to making daily runs to the shop, looking for the next great treasure or eBay windfall.
Just two weeks into the shut-down, I watched as our local Goodwill,
