While the Salvation Army Thrift Store is preparing to close its doors on Main Street, its leaders promise to reopen at a larger location in Napa. The nonprofit retailer announced recently its last day of business is Nov. 22.

The Salvation Army does not know when or where its new retail home will be. “It will be as soon as we can find a location. I don’t know when that will be. We are in the process,” said George Erickson, Salvation Army’s director of retail for the San Francisco area. “I assure you we are actively looking for a new location.”

The Salvation Army’s real estate division in Long Beach will be looking for a new location for the Napa store. Approval of a new site would have to be finalized by Major Jack Phillips, Northern California Administrator for the Salvation Army, according to Erickson.

Unfortunately, the dozen or so employees will be laid off.

“I can’t believe the support we have in this community. Salvation Army doesn’t want to abandon a county that supports us. People have said they will do anything they can to help us. We want to serve the community better,” said  Erickson. “A high priority for us is to continue to serve Napa.”

Erickson said the non-profit is looking for at least a 40,000-square-foot facility. He estimated the Main Street store is around 15,000 to 20,000 square feet, which is below average in size to other thrift stores.

Erickson did not know what the Salvation Army is willing to pay to lease a space. He also didn’t know why the Main Street is closing before a new location had been secured.

Erickson said a larger building will allow employees to process more merchandise in the back and not have to truck it somewhere else for processing. Previously, a portion of the donated merchandise is trucked to a facility north of Healdsburg for processing. And that gets expensive, Erickson added.

“With the tough economic times we need a more efficient building, instead of trucking merchandise somewhere else.” Erickson said.

“We want to serve a greater portion of Napa County. The building we are in does not meet those needs,” Erickson said.

With the Main Street thrift store closing, customers can no longer drop off merchandise.

During a search for a bigger store, Erickson said a 20-foot trailer will be set up at the Salvation Army Corps’ Franklin Street location, where Napans can donate merchandise. The items will be trucked to its operation near Healdsburg.

Erickson admits they may not have communicated very well with the employees in the Napa Thrift Store of the long-term goals to find a larger building. “People tend to react emotionally. I’m not here to do damage control. I am here to assure everyone of the Salvation Army’s long-term goals,” he said, during an interview at the Napa Valley Register.

He said he was in Napa to help with the liquidation of the store.

“I am touched by the reception from citizens today who want to see Salvation Army succeed here,” Erickson said.