WEST LEBANON — The Salvation Army thrift store in West Lebanon is permanently closed.
The West Lebanon location at 7 Martin Drive, along with a store in St. Johnsbury, Vt., both closed on June 16, the Salvation Army Northern New England Division announced in a recent news release.
The lights inside of the store, which neighbors a Sherwin-Williams paint store, were off and the doors were locked on Wednesday morning.
“These two locations have supported their communities with dignity and compassion for decades,” Maj. Shaun Belanger, Divisional Commander of the Northern New England Division, stated in the release. “After careful review, we determined that closing the stores is a necessary step to ensure that our programs and services remain strong.”
The Salvation Army has served both West Lebanon and St. Johnsbury since 1897, the release stated.
While the stores are closing, the organization says that local programs, including spiritual, educational and social services, will continue in both communities.
In last week’s news release, the organization stated that the closures align with “leadership” changes across the Northern New England Division, which has over 20 community centers and shelters across Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, according to the Division’s website.
Phone and email efforts to reach the Salvation Army Northern New England Division were not successful on Wednesday.
A voicemail left for William Drake, named by city records as the property owner of the now-former Salvation Army location in West Lebanon, was not immediately returned.
