Sue Kohler, president of the NOAH Board, says NOAH raised $190,000 to help animals last year. 
Sue Kohler, president of the NOAH Board, says NOAH raised $190,000 to help animals last year. Everything sold at the Thrift Store is donated and managed by 40 volunteers and six part-time workers.
NOAH has been at its current location for 20 years at 603 South Granite Street, a block from Montezuma in downtown Prescott, but it cannot be seen from the main road.
“We’re a bit off the beaten path,” Kohler said. “But in the six years I’ve been here, we’ve seen quite a bit of growth.”
NOAH Thrift Store has two buildings. The first is known as Dillard’s because it has the upscale merchandise. The second is known as Walmart because it has more economical merchandise.
Kohler said the customers have two things in common: They love dogs and the lower prices that NOAH offers. She said it is great fun working at NOAH because everybody gets along and they have fun while they work.
“We’re productive, but we have a good time,” she said.
One of the games they play is “What is that?” as they sometimes receive donations that aren’t easy to identify.
“We get everything you can imagine. Every day is like Christmas,” she said.
Brienna Cleary, who has worked at NOAH for five years, became manager in December. “I love the animals and upcycling.”
Upcycling is taking something and making it into something better. For example, someone donated a tea set. Cleary got to work and she created a Mad Hatter’s tea set out of it. A plain doll was turned into a Linda Blair doll from “The Exorcist.”
Cleary said NOAH has the best prices of any thrift shop in the Prescott area.
Customers bring their pets, like dogs and parrots, while they shop. One brought her bunny. The staff also brings in dogs to adopt with scarves that say: “Adopt Me.”
“It feels like home in here because the people who come in have a good vibe,” she said. “They like the pricing and the friendliness.”
Cleary said she loves that the thrift shop is helping the community, animals and the environment. “If every person buys one thing from a thrift store, it would save $600 billion in emissions,” she said.
Kohler points out that because NOAH is a nonprofit organization, there is no sales tax on merchandise. She said inflation has more people shopping in the store.
NOAH also sells merchandise for pets, including leashes, collars, beds and clothes.
NOAH is always in search of volunteers. Some current volunteers are in their 80s and one is 92 years old. QCBN
By Stan Bindell, QCBN
Photo by Stan Bindell: Brieana Cleary, manager of NOAH Thrift Shop (left) and Sue Kohler, president of NOAH, say NOAH is hard work, but fun. The two shown here with Buddy, say they enjoy working to help fund animal rescues.
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