It’s PVE Shopping Time!
Two stores plus ten or so estate sales annually multiplied by the efforts of four dynamic ladies and their army of more than fifty volunteers adds up to “shop ‘til you drop” time for Paradise Valley Estates residents and staff alike.
The community’s retail programs add to the annual Resident Council budget. Pre-COVID, they generated $40,000 to $50,000 that paid for items such as listening devices for meetings, the new flagpole, park benches, and committee expenses. With a lack of group functions and catering events due to COVID safety protocols, last year’s total was $30,000.
Loretta Epperson and Betty Silva, who lead the Estate Team, explained that much of the merchandise comes from vacated units that the estate team literally clears from top to bottom, deciding what is in good condition (not broken, stained, missing parts, etc.) and what to donate or trash. Residents also regularly contribute items by bringing them to the community “warehouse.” The donated items can be considered charitable donations.
The next step is deciding where to sell the items. “The stores have first dibs and the rest is through estate sales,” says Linda Schoephoerster and Lynn Ridgway. “We decide what items go into which store. Whatever doesn’t sell can be switched between stores or turned over for estate sales.”
On-campus estate sales happen every month or so based on when units are vacated. A “preview” is held the afternoon before the sale. It’s first come, first served so eager shoppers line up long before the 7:00 a.m. start time for items they seek.
Prices are kept low to move merchandise quickly and to keep the prices affordable. Items tend to appear only once in an estate sale. Anything unsold is donated to local military organizations for pick up.
Valuable items such as jewelry and antiques earn higher values, so they’re sold through an auction house. A gold necklace recently sold at auction raised more than $700.
Thank you, Store and Estate Team volunteers for your good works. And thank you, residents and staff, for raising extra funds for the community’s Resident Council!
