Achi news desk-
La Boutique Encore has been serving the downtown Moncton community for eight years, but come the end of June, they will have to close their doors.
The thrift store is located inside the Peter McKee Community Food Centre, a food bank that helps around 200 people a day.
The food center plans to build a new cold storage area where the store is currently located because the need in the community is high.
Peter McKee Community Food Center executive director Christine Taylor said they had made the most of their existing space.
“We don’t have room for pallets of food to come in anymore and with more clients you need more food here. You need a bigger inventory,” says Taylor.
Taylor said seniors, newcomers, international students and families who have never been before flock to the food bank on St George’s Street.
There is an increase in the number of clients, but they are going home with less food than they did two years ago.
“Because two years ago we had around 80 clients a day. Now we’re up to close to 200 and some days over 200, but the store hasn’t changed,” he said.
The thrift shop is run by Tŷ Nasareth, a resource center for the homeless located on Albert Street.
They made the closing announcement on their Facebook page a week ago.
“It is with great regret that we are closing La Boutique Encore, this spring,” the statement reads. “The Food Depot, which used to provide us with its space, now has to take it back due to the increasing number of customers. Unfortunately, current rental costs do not allow us to consider moving. We are proud to have served the community all these years and would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has contributed to the success of the store as employees, volunteers, donors and customers.”
Eleanor Bannister goes to the thrift shop and said she was sad to see her go.
“If I have money to go in, I’m usually going to look at it,” Bannister said. “I usually buy bedding and I got myself a dress. Bought myself another purse. I just look at things and if I know someone who needs something I tell them to go over there, they have it.”
Taylor said La Boutique Encore has been a good tenant for eight years and there is absolutely no animosity.
“We are sad to see them go because one of the services they offered was that they gave clothes to people if they needed them, certain times of the year and new arrivals comes in So, we were able to direct people there,” said Taylor. “But at the end of the day, we’re about feeding families in need and that’s what we have to focus on.”
CTV News reached out to House of Nazareth for comment, but no one was available.
Taylor said planning for the new cold storage space will begin in July, but it’s a big project and won’t happen overnight.
It is hoped that the extra storage space will allow clients to take enough food for a week or two and not just a few days.
