MLA, development corp. help find new digs for Summerside Free Store

Belinda Woods' Free Store in Summerside, P.E.I.,has found a new location, thanks to a little help from her MLA and a local development corporation.

• Summerside's Free Store may have to close if new location isn't found

Woods opened the store in Decemberto provide free clothes for those in need andhas volunteered her time to keep the store running.

Earlier in July, Woods was told by the building's ownerthatshe had tomove the store byJuly 31 presenting her with a quandry as she had nowhere to putall her existing stock.

That all changed last week when she was contacted by the Summerside Regional Development Corporation (SRDC) whichtold her the good newsthat her Free Store had a new home.

New store downtown

"We are going to be moving on Saturday, we found a great location it's bigger than what we had and believe me we're really grateful to have had what we had."

The new store is located at at 109 Water Street, at the corner of Water and King close to Holland College and the downtown Tim Hortons.

"We just found out last night that Royal LePage has come on board and they'regoing to be providing the moving service for us," she added.

'I was so shocked'

Woods said she was recently contacted by SummersideMLA Chris Palmer, who saw her Facebook post and wanted to help out.

"He reached out and he asked if it's okay if he checks with people he knew," Woods said. "I was so shocked [to hear from Palmer],I couldn't believe it, but I was so excited."

Soon after, Woods said, she was contacted by the SRDC.

An 'Island store'

It's been an "incrediblethree weeks," Woods said. "We were pretty excited that everything happened so quickly."

The store opens at the new location next Tuesday, and will open every third Tuesday and second Saturday of each month.

"We get people from all ends of the Island, it's not just Summerside," said Woods. "People come and say they wish they had something like this available in Charlottetownit's an Island store."

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