New business striving to fill thrift store gap

A new store is doing its best to fill the gap left by the departure of the popular Goodwill and Salvation Army thrift stores in Cloquet. The Highway 45 Thrift Store opened in June.

The for-profit store, owned by Gregg Wait and Jill Rousseau, has been in the works for a while. "We've been trying to open for two years," Rousseau said.

Wait and Rousseau had been known for running auctions that past decade.

"We have a place on Carlton Avenue and that's originally where [Jill] wanted to start the store," Wait said. After the building on Highway 45 became available, it proved itself to be what they considered the right location for the thrift store.

When it comes to merchandise, the new store is accepting donations. "We usually accept everything and then we go through it and make sure there's nothing that we can't put out," Rousseau said. Anything they cannot use is disposed of properly, she said.

Reaction to the new store has been positive, Wait said. "It's been going good. A lot of people have been good [in the] community ... coming in and buying stuff."

Rousseau said she's seeing items move through quickly. "A lot more than I thought would," she said.

"We're constantly filling the shelves, seems like four or five times a day," Wait said. "We tossed around the idea of changing the name to Everything Changes just because every day is something different."

As for future plans, Wait and Rousseau are already preparing another location.

"We will be getting another one ready," she said, at the auction building at 802 Carlton Avenue "within the next week or two."

The Highway 45 Thrift Store is located near the Cloquet Service Center on Highway 45. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday (most of the time). Donations will also be accepted during those times.

Customers can call the store with any questions at 218-879-2125.