The Oulu Department of Health Care and Social Services is now in the process of taking over management of the Toppila Thrift Store formerly operated by Oulu Waste Management. The management shift will bring about some changes in the store´s operations says Service Supervisor Helena Hemmilä.
"Overall, our main aim will be to provide employment opportunities for people who need help finding work or have problems getting employed."
The establishment´s primary activities (charitable resale of donated goods) will continue unchanged, and the newly opened Värttö location will accept donated items just as in Toppila: donations of furniture, dishes, sports equipment, clothes (in good condition), small domestic appliances and computers are all welcomed. The Värttö store can be found on Kurkelantie Street.
Pricing policies too will remain the same. Hemmilä emphasizes that the thrift store enterprise is not a business activity for the city. "Our aim isn´t to make a profit for the city--it´s to serve our citizens."
The old Toppila store will remain open until March 2 when it closes its doors for good.