Rising costs and a dramatic spike in shoplifting are pushing a Winnipeg thrift store out of business after 16 years of serving a community in the city’s core.
D’Arcy’s ARC Thrift Store on Main Street, just south of Redwood Avenue, will close its doors for good Dec. 21, after deciding not to renew its lease, manager Sydney Burnham said Friday.
“Over time, things have been deteriorating in this area, and it’s getting harder and harder to stay open,” she said. “It’s just time.”
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
Sydney Burnham, manager of D’Arcy’s ARC Thrift Store: It’s been a real staple of the community and it’s just sad that it’s closing.
Burnham said thefts have become more common in recent years, and there are rare incidents of aggressive behaviour toward staff and volunteers.
The second-hand store, located on the boundary of the North End and North Point Douglas, raises money for D’Arcy’s Animal Rescue Centre, a shelter and charity that relies on donations.
Burnham said the store has three paid employees and six volunteers.
“It’s been part of our lives for a long time,” said Burnham, who has worked at the shop for 13 years. “It’s been a real staple of the community and it’s just sad that it’s closing.”
Staff and volunteers formed close friendships with regular customers over the years, she added.
“I think people really appreciate having this store here. It provides a really good service, but other people think it’s just here for their picking,” said Burnham. “Taking from other people, it’s not the right thing to do, but people do it.”
Staff at D’Arcy’s ARC Thrift Store posted a letter to inform customers of the impending closure.
“Rising operational costs, increased retail theft and concerns for staff and customer safety have led to this difficult decision, significantly impacting on our ability to support animal charity,” the letter said.
The shop thanked staff and volunteers for their hard work, and customers and donors for their support.
“Though saddened by this closure, we are grateful for the memories, relationships and experiences we’ve shared,” the letter said.
Annie’s Attic Thrift Shop and Cat Café, which also raises funds for D’Arcy’s ARC, will continue to operate further north on Main, near Inkster Boulevard.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
D’Arcy’s ARC Thrift Store has decided not to renew its lease after 16 years of business.
Burnham said D’Arcy’s ARC Thrift Store isn’t alone in dealing with rising costs or shoplifting.
“I can say with certainty, all of us are dealing with the same issues,” she said. “It’s happening all over town.”
Some stores in Winnipeg keep their door or doors locked during regular business hours to control those coming and going.
Marie-Alice Grassick, a volunteer at the Nearly New Shop run by the Children’s Hospital Guild of Manitoba, said the store started locking its door three years ago after some issues with people who appeared to be on drugs or in crisis.
A woman smashed the charity shop’s glass door, while causing a commotion.
“We haven’t had one inch of trouble since (keeping the door locked),” she said. “We’ve been really lucky.”
The security measure hasn’t stopped regular or new customers from visiting, said Grassick.
The Portage Avenue store, east of Sherburn Street, fundraises for the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.
Thrift stores are vital spaces in some communities, including those with fewer retail options than the suburbs.
Kristine Heinrichs, Mennonite Central Committee Manitoba’s thrift co-ordinator, is a past manager of the organization’s shop on Selkirk Avenue in the North End. She said she quickly discovered it was more than just a thrift store.
“It feels like a community centre where customers take ownership of the space,” she wrote in an email. “I frequently overheard volunteers and longtime customers exchanging friendly banter and kindly inviting others to respect the space.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
Rising costs and a dramatic spike in shoplifting pushed D’Arcy’s ARC Thrift Store to shut shop.
“I also saw customers helping each other load or carry furniture down the street. The presence of MCC Thrift Shops in challenging areas of the city truly reflects our missional value of peace.”
Reports of shoplifting (of items valued under $5,000) soared by 45 per cent in 2023 compared with 2022, according to Winnipeg police data. Retailers said it remains a vastly under-reported crime.
The increase in thefts and complaints from the business community triggered an enforcement blitz during the 2023 holiday season.
It was followed by a provincially funded retail theft campaign, which puts foot patrols in the Exchange District, Osborne Village and West End. The program uses officers on overtime.
The Manitoba government has given almost $2 million to the Winnipeg Police Service to cover the cost of overtime.
The temporary program was extended through October. Premier Wab Kinew, who attended a retail theft summit in downtown Winnipeg on Friday, said the government is considering extending the initiative again.
He said the province will assess whether funding can be continued once 12 provincially funded city police officers begin next month.
chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca
Chris Kitching
Reporter
Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris.
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