Editorial
Front Page - Friday, August 14, 2009
Thrift store giving animals a new leash on life
David Laprad
The welcome mat outside New Leash on Life is the first sign that the store you’re about to enter isn’t your everyday secondhand shop. “Wipe your paws,” it reads, suggesting the establishment’s clientele might not be the kind that walks upright. Owner Kay Campbell is just yanking your tail, though; humans are more than welcome.
Campbell especially likes the kind of customer that’s ready to spend a little money on quality merchandise. Not that she’s looking to get rich; rather, each time her register rings up a sale, she’s that much closer to paying for someone to adopt a pet.
“This is my passion. I’m at a place in life where I can afford to do this,” she says of her business, located on Ringgold Road, near Amigo Mexican Restaurant in the Osborne Shopping Center.
The 3,000 square feet New Leash on Life has occupied since May 1 are filled with clothes, shoes, purses, small appliances, furniture and decorative knickknacks waiting to be given a spot on someone’s shadowbox.
The front room is crammed with racks of women’s, men’s and children’s clothes, with one rod along the back wall bending under the weight of countless garments. “We’ve already outgrown this space,” Campbell says, adding that she’s eyeballing a new location nearby that’s larger, but also more expensive.
Campbell then enters a second area packed with general items and walks toward the back, where several storage rooms are stuffed with more goods waiting to be cleaned, tested, priced and stocked. And this doesn’t include the seasonal clothing stored offsite.
Donations make up the majority of the merchandise, and although Campbell has her hands full prepping and stocking what she has, she says she’ll always welcome more.
The price point of the clothing at New Leash on Life should hold appeal for people working their way through the economic crunch. Adult attire starts at $2.50 per item, although a rack of spanking new items does hold dresses and other fancy outfits ranging in price from $5 to $20. Even better, children’s items start at $1.25. “I want to sell my things at a price everyone can afford,” says Campbell.
While Campbell uses some of her revenue to keep her store open, her entire staff consists of volunteers, allowing her to funnel the rest of the store’s earnings into helping local animals find homes. She currently works with East Ridge Animal Shelter, covering the fees involved when someone adopts an animal.
Her efforts appear to be paying off, as she’s plastered a bulletin board located near the store’s front door with pictures of puppies, kittens and fully grown dogs and cats that have found a home through the program. You can also peruse a book of photos of animals waiting to be adopted. (She hopes to make the same arrangement with Catoosa County Animal Shelter in the near future.)
Campbell didn’t grow up on a farm or study to be a veterinarian, but she does say she and her entire family have always loved animals. So when she was vacationing in Florida and came across a store that worked to benefit its local animal shelter, the seed for New Leash on Life was planted in her fertile mind.
Campbell started setting up shop in March; two months later, she opened New Leash on Life to the public for the first time. Since then, days off have been rare.
“There’s a lot to do. I work 12 to 14 hours a day,” she says. “A lot of animals are depending on us, and I don’t want to let them down.”
Campbell does more than urge other people to adopt a cat or dog from an animal shelter; she has two rescue dogs of her own at home. But she’s not looking for acclaim; instead, she brags on her customers and staff of volunteers, all of whom she calls incredible.
“Our customers help us meet the needs of abused, neglected and abandoned animals in the area. And without the help of my family and friends, I would not have been able to open this place,” says Campbell.
She also sings the praises of Uncle Bob’s Storage on Lee Highway, which is holding on to her seasonal items free of charge.
New Leash on Life is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Donations are being accepted, but they are not tax deductible at this time. Volunteers are needed as well. Call 423-475-6922 to learn
more.
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