CAL offers peek at new store

SANDPOINT — Psssst.

Looking for a sneak peek at the new Bizarre Bazaar, the Community Assistance League's upscale resale shop?

You're in luck as CAL is hosting a soft opening of the popular shop, which donates all proceeds from the sale of items at the store to local students and nonprofits in the form of scholarships and grants.

The store, located at 114 S. Boyer Ave. next to SmokeSmith, will be open today, Aug. 24, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bizarre Bazaar is the primary funding arm of Community Assistance League, a nearly 50-year-old staple in the county’s community service sector, officials said.

CAL officials said the store, which has helped the longtime nonprofit gift almost $2.5 million in grants and scholarships over the years, is successful because of a unique partnership with the community. First, CAL volunteers run the store. Second, the community shops at the store. And third, friends and neighbors from throughout the area donate high-quality, gently used goods for CAL to sell at Bizarre Bazaar.

However, moving a store is a more complicated and involved project than when an individual or family moves, which might mean a few weeks of packing followed by filling up a moving van.

“We actually began nearly 2 1/2 years ago,” former CAL president Beth Drain said. “There’s been a good deal of uncertainty about the future of our location on Church Street, so we determined that the wise course was to look for an alternative location. A small team scoured greater Sandpoint looking at everything from rental, for-sale, and raw land properties which might suit our unique needs.”

Current CAL president Joyce Price said the nonprofit felt an obligation make a fiscally smart decision.

"Not only are we a nonprofit but we know that the community counts on us to fund grants and scholarships every spring," she said. "We wanted — no, we needed — to be careful with every penny we would spend.”

That meant strategically saving for several years in the event that CAL needed to move the store. It also meant weighing the decision to move against current and future costs, as well as convenience to customers. And it meant doing it all with volunteers, Price said.

Cherie Warber, long-time co-manager of the shop, praised members and Bizarre Bazaar department heads for taking careful inventory of what to move and how to manage it. Husbands and friends also jumped in to help.

Among them were Marilyn Brown’s husband, Rudy, and Linda Zinn’s husband, Tom, both of whom had prior experience in the building trades.

"They have patiently managed each detail of the ‘tenant improvements’ necessary to turn a tae kwon do studio-turned-physical therapy center into retail space," Warber said.

“But it was our CAL members who have tackled the past several weeks of hard work — sorting, packing, hauling, and restocking," she added. The public — our customers — only have seen about one third of our space. What’s behind the scenes is staggering: back stock, out-of-season items, plus the equipment and paperwork that is part of any nonprofit organization.”

When donations come in, co-manager Carol Visger said volunteers sort items and get them ready for sale. That means everything from washing and ironing items to cleaning, polishing and repairing them. 

"That’s all part of the ‘back of the house’ work that customers never see," Visger said. "And it’s all done by volunteers.”

Saturday's soft opening will give CAL a chance to work through the kinks of the new layout and new store as well as familiarize customers with the new location. The Boyer Avenue site features 13 designated parking spots as well as street parking on Lake and Pine streets.

An official grand opening is planned for Sept. 7.