Chris Ann’s Helping Hands will close its doors Aug. 25 after nine year in business and seven years at it current Lake Geneva location.
According to Chris Ann’s, its lease will expire at the end of August and an increase in monthly rent will prohibit supporting the store’s mission. Chris Ann’s Helping Hands offers clothing, housewares and furniture at nominal prices for individuals and families facing financial hardship. The store has had a long time “make an offer” policy for folks who are in need, according to Crystal Smith, of Chris Ann’s.
“I’m concerned about my employees and the community that we serve,” she said.
The loss of Chris Ann’s Helping Hands will create a gap for families and individuals in need, Smith said. Unlike more metropolitan areas like Janesville, Madison or Milwaukee that have a number of resale stores and accessible transportation, Chris Ann’s Helping Hands is one of just a few resale stores in Walworth County, she said. It’s also one of the few retails stores that people can approach for assistance with no questions asked, reducing the stigma of poverty and joblessness, Smith wrote in a press release.
Public service organizations in Walworth County will also face a shortfall, she said. Chris Ann’s Helping Hands gets referrals for clients of the Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services and is a “go-to” for fire and police departments for folks who are victims of fires or other disaster. Neighbors looking out for other neighbors have also come to Chris Ann’s for help, Smith said.
“I’m hopeful that there will be another opportunity for us to open our doors,” she said. “We need to help people.”
The organization is seeking a benefactor or small group of benefactors to help find a new location and overhead costs so that Chris Ann’s Helping Hands can continue to help families and individuals in need.
Liquidation of Chris Ann’s Helping Hands inventory will begin immediately. The store will have extended hours until further notice – 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Clearance sale prices supersede any other sales and discounts cannot be stacked.
Material donations will no longer be accepted. Monetary donation will be accepted to help offset operating expenses and debt.
