Although people become thriftier when the economy isn’t doing well, that doesn’t mean thrift stores are doing better.

Fallon thrift stores are suffering, primarily because of a dramatic drop in donations and the loss of items due to a new Consumer Product Safety Commission regulation. Thrift stores representatives say, if they’re suffering so will the community.

“You would think that thrift stores would be up, and they may be compared to regular stores, but still the economy is affecting us,” said Leslie Spracklin, CEO for Fallon/Fernley Industries.

Spracklin and JoAnne Baumgart, manager for the Community Service Thrift Shop said donations are down. Sales are steady at Fallon Industries, but are down at the Community Service Thrift Shop.

“Our proceeds and donations have gone down to the point where we’re at red at the end of the month,” Baumgart said. “At this point we’re hoping that we won’t have to close down.”

Dona Eveatt, manager of Stuf N Such, said their sales and donations are pretty stable, but she can tell people are donating less.

“I think people are being a little bit cautious and not getting rid of as much as they would in the past,” Eveatt said.

Spracklin said one reason they are doing poorly is because people donate to large organizations that take items to Reno. Additionally, there are stores in Fallon and Reno that buy back used clothing, which may also affect donations.

“I would like to local community to donate locally,” Spracklin said. “We need to support our local charities, our local thrift stores.”

Eveatt said Stuf N Such may be experiencing fewer problems because the store just remodeled and has established new policies about the quality of merchandise. Nevertheless, they are having difficulty due to a new federal regulation which has forced thrift stores to remove any children’s toys and certain clothing items that may contain lead.

“We took four grocery carts out full and threw them away,” Eveatt said. “Anything that is plastic, we are no longer selling. You could be fined up to $100,000.”

Unfortunately, Eveatt had already eliminated the merchandise by the time the Consumer Product Safety Commission, according to its Web page, put a one-year stay on the regulation to give time for stores to prepare and time for the commission to make the process easier.

“It is not the intent of the Commission, nor has it ever been the intent of Congress, to force any company out of business who is operating in good faith to produce safe products. As we work through the issues in the new law, the disruptions that now seem overwhelming will fade and the marketplace will emerge as a much safer one for our nation’s children,” said Commissioner Thomas H. Moore in a CPSC statement.

Nevertheless, Eveatt says a stay is good for everyone.

“That’s good news—good news for all the retail people,” she said. “We’ll just be a little pickier for a year.”

The Fallon/Fernley Industries and Community Service Thrift Shop didn’t have difficulty with these regulations because they had already stopped putting such items out prior to the announcement.

The loss of donations and items for sale are affecting both thrift stores and the community. Local thrift stores rely on sales and donations not only to operate, but also to fund a plethora of special services they provide the community.

Spracklin said Fallon/Fernley Industries provides a variety of services to the disabled and to special needs individuals. She explained the majority of programs are funded by the state, but the wages for over a hundred employees comes from thrift store sales.

“The thrift stores produce wages for people with disabilities,” Spracklin said. “We need our thrift stores to be successful. It is vital to our operation.”

Baumgart said they provide four $1,000 scholarships to Churchill County High School, and provide clothing and pay bills for people referred to them by Social Services. This is in addition to yearly donations made to a variety of local charities and organizations.

Stuf N Such is run by the Banner Churchill Community Auxiliary, and Eveatt said funds are returned to the hospital for scholarships or supplies. They also take referrals from Social Services and make annual donations to local organizations and charities.

Spracklin, Baumgart and Eveatt said all three thrift stores are unique, and if one is lost or forced to downsize, the community will lose a valuable asset.

“We’d have to give out less assistance,” Baumgart said.

Although the economy has encouraged people to seek out cheaper options, local thrift stores are still affected. Thrift store representatives are trying to remain hopeful that the community will remember how valuable their services are and donate.

“I think we’re going to be fine, as long as we all contribute to our local economy. I think we’re going to be good,” Spracklin said.