Needful Things will celebrate 10th year during Palouse Days

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | Sep 13, 20120

It’s been 10 years of support for the Palouse Community Center by Needful Things.

The second-hand store, now in its permanent location in the foyer of the new community center building, first opened at Palouse Days 2002.

Its former location was where Open Eye Consignment is now.

All proceeds have gone to the community center.

At this year’s Palouse Days, there will be balloons, refreshments, a photo display noting past and current Needful Things volunteers and a $2 bag day to commemorate the original price.

The all-volunteer operation has contributed much to its cause over its 10 years.

“In the early years, if we made $500 a month, that was really huge,” said Bev Pearce, one of three volunteer coordinators.

This year, the community center board projected $6,000 to $7,000 from Needful Things. As of Aug. 27, the store had brought in more than $12,000.

“We made this money on 25-cent items,” noted Pearce.

The idea for Needful Things began when Palouse community seniors were having rummage sales in the former community center building.

A few started saying they would like to have a store.

A group got together, talked to the Thrifty Grandmothers in Colfax for tips and advice and rented their first space from Diane Cooper, who owned a building across Main Street from the library.

Volunteers painted, did dry-wall work and fixed up the space, where Needful Things debuted and remained for a year. After that, the operation moved to the former site of the print shop which had been operated by Marv and Annie Pillars. They donated the space.

Several years later, when the Pillars sold their building, volunteer coordinator Doreen Hanson arranged a space for the store in the former community center building.

Rolling barricades were brought in, and Needful Things was given one-quarter of the space, sharing the building with the community center.

When a leaking roof and other problems led the community center board to close the building, Hanson located a new site at the Palouse Arms apartment building where the store continued for the next three years.

In December of last year, volunteers began moving the operation into its more visible location in the front foyer of the new community center it helped build.