Needful Things sets up shop
Needful Things, which opened before Thanksgiving, offers new and second-hand items to shoppers in Shepherdstown. (Chronicle photo by Tricia Fulks)
Shepherdstown residents in need of something a little out of the ordinary may be in luck with the opening of a new store in town.
Needful Things, wedged between the War Memorial Building and Plum along East German Street, is a thrift-style store which sells both new and second-hand items. Shoppers can find products ranging from novelty antiques and collectibles to new name brand clothing and video games.
Since 1981, Needful Things has operated out of an 1849 vintage building in Charles Town. The Shepherdstown location is the company’s first attempt at a branch-off store. The store owners said that their building, as well as their eclectic inventory, “evoke a time of slower, more personal commerce.”
Other items one can expect to find at Needful Things include furniture, household items – like china and kitchenware – as well as electronics. Currently, the Shepherdstown location sells men’s and women’s clothes, jewelry and accessories and small electronics.
Store owner Melissa Glasscock said she hopes to be selling books and DVDs at the new location soon.
According to the store’s website, shoppers are even encouraged to “eat while they shop” as the store in Charles Town offers a 1950s-era counter cafe, which may or may not make the leap over to the Shepherdstown location. Glasscock said the location in Shepherdstown is a bit too small at the moment, but that may change depending on how successful the store is.
The Charles Town location even offers free Wi-Fi Internet access in the store, something which may very well find its way over to the Shepherdstown location if it were to expand.
The Shepherdstown store opened up just before the Thanksgiving weekend to give Black Friday shoppers a chance to explore the store’s unique inventory, according to Glasscock. She said that she decided to open the new location primarily because they had an overabundance of inventory and needed somewhere else to set up shop.
“Shepherdstown is a nice college town, so we thought we would give it a shot,” Glasscock said.
Most of Needful Things’ inventory comes from the acquisition of delinquent storage units, the contents of which are sold at auction after the owners have missed multiple payments. Glasscock also said that she has purchased inventory from other businesses going bankrupt.
Though Needful Things has been in the business of buying these storage units for some time, the popularity of these auctions has exploded in the past several years thanks to shows like “Storage Wars” on A&E.
“It used to be maybe eight to 10 regulars at the auctions, now there are about 90 people there,” Glasscock said.
The increase in auction goers has also led to an increase in prices, according to Glasscock. She flies her mother and father to West Virginia from Florida once a month to attend auctions with her as it is now difficult to try and get to all of them alone.
But the Needful Things team won’t let competition at auction slow them down though.
Alice Masemer, Glasscock’s mother and co-owner of the store, said that the company now employs 16 people between the two locations, and they intend to keep growing.
The Shepherdstown location is open Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. For those who wish to shop on Mondays and Tuesdays, the Charles Town location remains open for business.
Anyone with questions regarding available merchandise can find contact information for both stores at the company’s website www.needfulthingswebsite.com.
Needful Things sets up shop
Needful Things, which opened before Thanksgiving, offers new and second-hand items to shoppers in Shepherdstown. (Chronicle photo by Tricia Fulks)
Shepherdstown residents in need of something a little out of the ordinary may be in luck with the opening of a new store in town.
Needful Things, wedged between the War Memorial Building and Plum along East German Street, is a thrift-style store which sells both new and second-hand items. Shoppers can find products ranging from novelty antiques and collectibles to new name brand clothing and video games.
Since 1981, Needful Things has operated out of an 1849 vintage building in Charles Town. The Shepherdstown location is the company’s first attempt at a branch-off store. The store owners said that their building, as well as their eclectic inventory, “evoke a time of slower, more personal commerce.”
Other items one can expect to find at Needful Things include furniture, household items – like china and kitchenware – as well as electronics. Currently, the Shepherdstown location sells men’s and women’s clothes, jewelry and accessories and small electronics.
Store owner Melissa Glasscock said she hopes to be selling books and DVDs at the new location soon.
According to the store’s website, shoppers are even encouraged to “eat while they shop” as the store in Charles Town offers a 1950s-era counter cafe, which may or may not make the leap over to the Shepherdstown location. Glasscock said the location in Shepherdstown is a bit too small at the moment, but that may change depending on how successful the store is.
The Charles Town location even offers free Wi-Fi Internet access in the store, something which may very well find its way over to the Shepherdstown location if it were to expand.
The Shepherdstown store opened up just before the Thanksgiving weekend to give Black Friday shoppers a chance to explore the store’s unique inventory, according to Glasscock. She said that she decided to open the new location primarily because they had an overabundance of inventory and needed somewhere else to set up shop.
“Shepherdstown is a nice college town, so we thought we would give it a shot,” Glasscock said.
Most of Needful Things’ inventory comes from the acquisition of delinquent storage units, the contents of which are sold at auction after the owners have missed multiple payments. Glasscock also said that she has purchased inventory from other businesses going bankrupt.
Though Needful Things has been in the business of buying these storage units for some time, the popularity of these auctions has exploded in the past several years thanks to shows like “Storage Wars” on A&E.
“It used to be maybe eight to 10 regulars at the auctions, now there are about 90 people there,” Glasscock said.
The increase in auction goers has also led to an increase in prices, according to Glasscock. She flies her mother and father to West Virginia from Florida once a month to attend auctions with her as it is now difficult to try and get to all of them alone.
But the Needful Things team won’t let competition at auction slow them down though.
Alice Masemer, Glasscock’s mother and co-owner of the store, said that the company now employs 16 people between the two locations, and they intend to keep growing.
The Shepherdstown location is open Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. For those who wish to shop on Mondays and Tuesdays, the Charles Town location remains open for business.
Anyone with questions regarding available merchandise can find contact information for both stores at the company’s website www.needfulthingswebsite.com.
The Town Page
Weathering the storm
Town Council talks issues with disorderly conduct penalty ordinance, commission and board membership
