The Toolbox has reopened in Cloverdale.
Surrey鈥檚 only secondhand tool thrift store is open for business once again after being closed for nearly four months.
The store relies on donations of 鈥済ently used tools that are in working order,鈥� says Rebecca Smith, executive director of the Surrey Hospice Society. The Hospice Society operates the Toolbox鈥攍ocated at 5625 176 Street鈥攁s a fundraising endeavour.
But the story of why the Toolbox was closed in the first place is a story of the Surrey Hospice Society.
Smith says the Toolbox first opened in November, 2017, and struggled for its first year with volunteers that didn鈥檛 have management experience or weren鈥檛 suited for the job.
鈥淲hen she came in, she was a breath of fresh air,鈥� says Smith. 鈥淪he was the heart and soul of the Toolbox; she made it into what it is now.鈥�
That she was Janet Child, a long-time volunteer at the Hospice Society鈥檚 clothing thrift store in Newton. When Janet arrived at the Toolbox in November, 2018, things changed significantly.
鈥淥ur store had gone from looking like a dumpy place with things just strewn on the shelves, to being organized, to being bright, and to being cheerful.鈥�
Janet made the place her own. She set up a colouring station for kids, so parents could shop without being distracted. She set up a coffee station to encourage passersby to come in for a java and a chat. She got some dog bowls and filled them with water to encourage customers to bring their dogs with them.
She also came up with the idea of a toolpurse. 鈥淚t was for independent women,鈥� explains Smith. 鈥淛anet filled purses with the basic tools so women could do some work around their homes without having to call on anyone.鈥�
Janet also set up a 鈥渕ystery tools鈥� display case behind the cash drawer. Filled with antique and esoteric tools, she encouraged customers to help identify their names and uses.
鈥淐ustomers loved to come in and just chat with Janet.鈥�
Janet knew a lot about tools and her vision drove the store. But her time in the store was cut short when she became ill.
That illness was cancer. Janet had felt sick early in 2019 and was diagnosed five months ago.
That is why the store had been closed recently, as Smith didn鈥檛 have anyone to run it. 鈥淟yndsey McWhirter took on the role [of manager] with the urging of Janet鈥攚ho was her friend,鈥� adds Smith.
One of Janet鈥檚 ideas for revamping the store was to paint a large tree鈥攁lso the symbol of the Hospice Society鈥攊n the window. Her idea would be to sell the leaves as a fundraising and commemorative initiative.
The tree鈥擩anet鈥檚 Tree鈥攚as a success. Janet sold more than 100 leaves for the tree鈥檚 sprawling branches, allowing customers and supporters to place the name of a loved one in the store鈥檚 window.
鈥淧eople bought the leaves in memory or honour of someone they loved that passed, or was struggling with a palliative illness,鈥� explains Smith.
The 's store The Toolbox has reopened. We'll have an upcoming story about the secondhand tool store in our paper and on our website.
鈥� Cloverdale Reporter (@CloverdaleNews)
Smith says she will continue to push forward with McWhirter to bring Janet鈥檚 ideas to the store.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to try to make them all happen,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 100 per cent sure we were going to make the store work when we started it [in 2017], but it was Janet鈥檚 ideas, her will, and her personality that made the store what it is.鈥�
Smith says when they first opened the Toolbox, she didn鈥檛 feel like it belonged. But she realizes now, in approaching it the way Janet did, the recipe for success lies in the love, the compassion, and the personality that Janet threw into it.
Smith says the Toolbox is not a significant source of income for the Surrey Hospice Society.
鈥淲e鈥檙e working towards that,鈥� Smith explains. 鈥淲e need it to be. We really need it to be. I think Cloverdale needs it to be. Our downtown core doesn鈥檛 have enough retail and thriving businesses.鈥�
Smith says Toolbox shoppers will not spend more for tools than they would elsewhere.
鈥淭hey are good tools. We only sell things that are in good shape, but cheaper than anywhere else,鈥� she notes. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a change in mindset. Don鈥檛 throw away. Save the environment in the process, support a local charity, support a local business.鈥�
As she reopens the store, Smith remembers the first time she met Janet.
鈥淛anet was our Sunday supervisor at the Newton thrift store鈥攁nd she was a chatter,鈥� laughs Smith. 鈥淪he loved to talk and talk and talk. Friendly. Laughed all the time. She adored her grandchildren.鈥�
Smith explains Janet really wanted to make a difference in people鈥檚 lives. She says Janet understood hospice was about giving people the opportunity to live as fully as they could鈥攗ntil the last minute鈥攁nd to help those left behind journey through their grief.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what drove her.鈥�
The challenge for the Surrey Hospice Society now, says Smith, is that Janet is 鈥渙ne of our hospice family. So, we have to turn our services inward a little bit, which is difficult.鈥�
Smith adds the other thrift store volunteers have all been deeply affected by Janet鈥檚 illness.
鈥淚 think we need to acknowledge there are heroes in our communities that we don鈥檛 even realize,鈥� she says as she holds back tears. 鈥淭he Toolbox is there to make a difference, for hospice, for the environment, for the community. Janet made that happen.鈥�
鈥淭he tree is still (in the window),鈥� adds Smith. 鈥淚t鈥檚 beautiful.鈥�
Janet鈥檚 Tree, a symbol for the memories of other people鈥檚 loved ones, now stands in memory of Janet, too, as she died on Dec. 6.
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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