Philly AIDS Thrift Declares Triumphant Close to Summer of Drudge

For Immediate Release

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Philly AIDS Thrift, the non-profit thrift store newly re-located to 710 S. 5th Street, ends the busiest summer of its history with a double celebration of two major milestones on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 23rd to 25th.

Store Manager Tom Brennan explains, “We realized as we were planning our 6th anniversary party for September that the store’s charitable contributions were passing another big, round number at the same time. When we presented our September check to the AIDS Fund we surpassed $300,000.00 in cash contributions to Philly area HIV/AIDS service organizations. This has been a crazy, back-breaking spring and summer for us with our move from our original store to our new bigger and better-in-every-way space at 710 South 5th St. We were feeling more like we’d been doing this for 300,000 years than like we’d raised 300,000 dollars. But we’re all moved in now and the response has been so enthusiastic that all the bad memories are being erased.

“Now we get the pleasant twist of fate of hitting 6 years and $300,000.00 in the same month. Thinking back on the tiny space we first opened with six years ago , it’s startling to look around the 10,000 square feet we have today. The total money raised tells the same story of steady growth for us. It took us three years to raise our first $100,000.00, two years to raise our second, and now we’ve raised our third hundred thousand in a single year. On top of that, our board just voted to increase our monthly contribution 25% , from our current $8,000.00 to $10,000.00 a month going forward.

"One thing we all agreed on before we committed to making the move was that we weren’t going through all that trauma and drama if it didn’t also result down the line in a doubling of our monthly contribution. With this first big bump up, we’re already on our way to fulfilling that goal faster than any of us expected. So yeah, definitely time for one of our trademark carbo-loading parties.”

Store Volunteer coordinator Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou firms up the party plans, ”I’m so glad we can take the time to recognize and thank our volunteers, donors and customers for making the move such a success and for making the last six years such an exciting and enjoyable time. We certainly wouldn’t have lasted these six years and raised the $300,000.00 without their combined efforts and patronage.

“We’re thanking them the only way we know how-- calories and discounts! We’ll have three days of snacks, food and refreshments, along with two big cakes, one each for the dual milestones. In addition we’ll have a different half-price sale each day. Friday it will be movies and music (i.e., records, tapes, cd’s , dvd’s) 50% off. Saturday it’s all artwork, frames and art supplies half-off, and Sunday it’s 50% off all books, magazines and comic books.

“As a very special extra treat, Philly’s very own favorite misbegotten son--Psydde Delicious, known on every dark backstreet and godforsaken avenue as the hardest working man in monkey business, will be our in-store DJ on Saturday afternoon from 1pm to 5pm. The store always holds high the banner of unpopular music from all bygone eras and all faded genres, so who better to wave that flag live and in person but the inimitable Mr. Delicious. I for one can’t wait to hear the sound canvas Psydde will paint for us, all those shades of black and blacker, with occasional dayglo and glitter highlights. The rest of the world might as well just shut down for those three days, everyone’s going to be here for sure. Maybe we should get three cakes. “

Philly AIDS Thrift celebrates SIX YEARS and THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS on Friday, Saturday & Sunday, September 23rd to 25th at their new home, 710 S. 5th Street.

Philly AIDS Thrift opened its original store at 514 Bainbridge St. in the fall of 2005. It expanded to a warehouse sales and processing space at 527 Bainbridge in 2006. In July of 2011, it moved all its operations to 710 S. 5th Street. To date, Philly AIDS Thrift has donated $306,450.00 to Philly area AIDS service providers. In addition to its cash contributions it partners with these same service agencies to provide free store vouchers to clients in need of clothing and household necessities.

www.phillyaidsthrift.com



Psydde Delicious: www.psyddedelicious.com


Philly AIDS Thrift
710 S. 5th St
Philadelphia, Pa
19147


215.922.3186


Store Hours:

Mon-Thurs 11am-8pm
Fri & Sat 11am-9pm
Sunday 11am-7pm