ATTENTION Fashion Fans and Domestic Divas: Largest Seattle Value Village Thrift Store Opens Tomorrow

SEATTLE, March 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Great deals converge with good deeds tomorrow in Crown Hill at the grand opening of retail thrift pioneer Value Village, the place where donated treasures benefit local non-profit organizations.  For every item donated in Crown Hill, Value Village pays its non-profit partner, Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted (CSBPS), turning otherwise unused goods into sustainable funding that supports the non-profit's programs and services in the local community.

With an overall theme of "Walk the Walk," the grand opening will allow customers to experience Value Village merchandise with a fashion runway vibe.  Malia Peoples, a local Seattle designer and owner of Lady Konnyaku Clothing, will be on hand to provide shoppers with expert guidance to find a look that's right for them.  Peoples will be appearing in the store from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow, as well as from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 6.  Continuing the theme, a special red carpet runway and photo backdrop will be set up inside the store throughout the weekend, allowing customers to "walk the walk" and show off their newfound fashions.  

To commemorate the grand opening of its "crown jewel" Crown Hill store, Value Village commissioned a giant mural by iconic Ballard artist, Ryan "Henry" Ward.  The mural is Ward's largest ever, spanning the entire western exterior wall, and will be dedicated to the Ballard-Crown Hill community in a public ceremony tomorrow at 8:30 a.m.  The first 500 customers in line for the store opening will receive an autographed poster-sized version of the mural.

At more than 25,000 square feet, the store occupies the former Crown Hill QFC building.  It includes a drive-through CSBPS Community Donation Center, providing a convenient place for residents to drop off their quality reusable clothing and household goods free of charge.  

"Due to the success of our former location, we wanted a larger space to accommodate more of what our customers want and better serve the community," said Ken Alterman, CEO of Savers, Inc., the parent company of Value Village.  "Seattle is a city that heralds the unique and thrives on social responsibility, which has always made it a perfect hometown for our company and an ideal backdrop for our stores.  We're so proud of the experience our new Value Village Crown Hill offers, from its beautiful shopping environment to its drive-through Community Donation Center that provides a much easier way to support the local programs of Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted.  It's good all around."

Carrying everything from men's, women's and children's clothing and accessories, to housewares, electronics, furniture and more, Value Village stocks more than 5,000 items to the sales floor daily, ensuring customers continuously find a refreshed assortment of quality, value fashions.  The new store opens in conjunction with an increasing thrift shopping trend, which is one of the fastest growing retail segments. Lifestyle, economy and social trends have contributed to the growth, including the popularity of do-it-yourself ("DIY") projects, "shabby chic" decor, renewed interest in vintage clothing, and importantly, environment- and budget-conscious consumers.  Last year alone, Value Village kept more than 500 million pounds of unwanted goods from ending up in landfills.

The Crown Hill store and CSBPS Community Donation Center, located at 8532 15th Ave. NW, Seattle, WA 98117, will be open Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information and a calendar of events, customers may contact the store directly at 206-783-4648 or visit www.ValueVillage.com/CrownHill.  

About Value Village and Savers, Inc.

Founded in 1954, Savers, Inc. is a privately held for-profit international thrift store chain with more than 240 locations in the United States, Canada and Australia. Also known as Value Village in the western United States and Canadian provinces (and as Village des Valeurs in Quebec), the company benefits more than 128 local non-profit offices by purchasing and reselling donated items. The result has been over one billion dollars directly paid to non-profit organizations. The company employs more than 12,000 people in 25 states, 10 Canadian provinces and Australia. Visit www.ValueVillage.com for more information.

SOURCE Savers, Inc.