EPHRATA – Georgie Youngers, owner of Georgie’s Gently Used at 506 C St. SW in Ephrata, said she knows what it’s like to need affordable options to take care of yourself and your family.

Youngers moved to Ephrata after a divorce to be close to her mother, she said. While she was recovering financially from the divorce, she cleaned houses and turned to thrifting and yard sales to make ends meet.

“And they were so dirty,” Youngers said. “And so, when you walked out, you felt like you needed a shower or you had to wash everything that you bought, and I thought, ‘You know, we need something different.’”

So, Youngers set out to make something different by opening her own thrift store in Ephrata. She took her time shopping for just the right location and eventually came across the current Gently Used location. While a friend told her the space may be more than she could handle, Youngers said she was determined to create a shopping experience for visitors that didn’t feel cramped and dusty. She wanted a place that was open, inviting and affordable, she said.

“I said, ‘This is what I need,’” Youngers said. “Because you can have a good secondhand store, and … keep it clean and organized.”

Fortunately, the building had been empty for about three years and the owner had recently lowered the rent, so in short order, Youngers said she had a lease signed and was putting the store together.

At first, Youngers used whatever shelving and display surfaces she could, but as the store developed and her customer base grew, she was able to add better display options. Now, clothing is on proper racks, linens have a separate section in the store and the furniture section, just as customers come in the door, is set up to be easily accessible – something that’s drawn people to the store to simply sit down and visit from time to time, Youngers said.

“I have older couples who dance to the music in the store because something came on and they say, ‘Oh, listen to that song!’ and they dance or they’re sitting on the couches, visiting with someone they haven’t seen in a long time,” Youngers said.

That’s the point of the store, she said, putting a sense of community into the shop that allows visitors to be comfortable and find a treasure or two to take home. Some of her customers soon came to be volunteers at the store, Youngers said.

“(Business) started picking up and it was just a little more than I could handle,” Youngers said.

A friend mentioned that someone they knew would be willing to donate their time, so Youngers reached out and now has multiple volunteers helping her keep the store going. She said she appreciates the help and adores the volunteers who help her keep the store clean and in good order.

In time, Youngers found that folks were donating more than she could sell and people seemed to naturally come to her with stories of need in the community – either their own or someone else’s. So, she started putting the items she couldn’t fit in the store but were still in good condition out for people to take for free, she said.

“It’s free (donated items),” she said. “You have to pass it forward.”

Youngers said she also donates all the sports equipment donated to Georgie’s Gently Used to local youth so they can play. She said a lot of students in the area have a hard time getting sporting equipment. She also helps provide clothing to Ephrata School District students who may be having a hard time. Teachers will mention the students’ needs and Youngers will coordinate with them to get them clothing and shoes that were donated to the store, she said.

Many of the products Youngers sells at the shop are donated items, but not everything. Youngers also buys some items such as furniture or the occasional contents of a storage unit for the store. Heavy items must be delivered though, she said.

“I’m at an age where I can’t go and haul furniture anymore like I did when I first opened,” Youngers said.

Still, Youngers said the support of the community and being a part of the community keeps her going and keeps her from retirement. She doesn’t think she’s going anywhere soon.

“I’m 73, people say, ‘Georgie, you should retire,’” Youngers said. “I love what I do, you know? People don’t see me so much, because I’m always in the background, out picking up donations and buying some furniture, stuff like that”

With the help of her volunteers and the support of the community, Youngers said she will keep the store running, especially with the positive feedback she gets from visitors to the shop.

“It makes me feel so warm and good to hear nice things,” Youngers said.

R. Hans Miller may be reached at editor@columbiabasinherald.com and welcomes any and all input from the community regarding the paper's content.

Georgie's Gently Used

506 C St. SW

Ephrata, WA 98823

509-754-0607

M-Sat. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

facebook.com/georgiesgently/