Nearing its 30th anniversary, the recently renovated VNA Hidden Treasures Thrift Store in Vero Beach has more than doubled in size and also hired a new manager to take the helm. With a strong background in fashion and merchandising, Sal Taschetta joins VNA with a clear vision for the store: “I’d like to have this be a place for community. I think that’s really important – community that makes sense within what we do here.”
Sal’s vision will be facilitated by the enlarged footprint of the store, which is now a whopping 25,050 square feet, and includes the addition of classes, possibly in furniture refinishing, knitting, and other creative endeavors. Sal has also incorporated pop-up cafes, which he already began in July with Sweet Desires Bakery & Espresso Bar. By all accounts, the pop-up was a hit. “I had several people come up to me and say how much they liked it,” said Sal. “It was exciting to see our guests taking a break from shopping and chatting at the bistro tables over a cup of coffee.” And shoppers will have another opportunity to enjoy Sweet Desires’ goodies when it returns to Hidden Treasures on August 17th, National Thrift Store Day.
August 17th is also National Nonprofit Day, which is entirely appropriate as all of the net profits generated by Hidden Treasures’
sales go to benefit VNA Hospice, a VNA & Hospice Foundation-supported program. Comprising the VNA Hospice House, bereavement services, Camp Chrysalis and music therapy, VNA Hospice provides optimal end-of-life care for residents of Indian River. That’s why Hidden Treasures is a vital financial lifeline for the VNA, a fact that’s
especially meaningful to Sal because his late brother-in-law received hospice
services through the VNA. “I’m honored and grateful to have the opportunity to
help support VNA Hospice and their invaluable programs. Programs that have
already touched my life, and in one way or another will uplift many more of us
though our most difficult times. It’s what keeps me moving forward, striving to
do better and build successes here at Hidden Treasures, success steeped in joy,
for a cause I believe in with all my heart,” shared Sal.
The newly expanded store was built on a solid foundation and still features all of the wonderful items for which it’s known, including clothing, shoes, jewelry, furniture and art. Under Sal’s savvy leadership, the store has also undergone something of a face-lift, beginning with the front of the store. “There always needs to be something interesting and eye-catching at the front of any store… that really sets the tone. When you walk in, we want to grab you and get you interested,” explained Sal, adding
that there will be a theme, typically reflecting the season or a holiday. “It’s
a story, and it needs to be fun and entertaining and exciting and have lots of
different elements to it, you know: clothing, furniture, (and) home décor.”
And ‘the story’ Sal is telling isn’t just for customers, it’s also for the invaluable Hidden Treasures Thrift Store team, which is made up primarily of volunteers. “Everybody here is really getting into it, so it’s like a team building skill,” he quipped.
Sal has also incorporated and curated new specialty areas including the
Boutique, a store within the store featuring designer clothes, high-end jewelry and collectible furniture. Another big change Sal has implemented is the kitchen area. Previously, kitchen items were spread throughout the store, but he has organized them in one attractive area making it easier for shoppers to parse
through all the glassware, serving dishes, small kitchen appliances and
dishware. In addition, he introduced a dedicated lighting section displayed on
customized shelving that highlights the lamps, which are now lit when displayed.
“The way the lighting section is set up, it really shows off the fixtures,”
he said.
Yet another first introduced by Sal is a gallery space for fine art enhanced by a professional art hanging system that was donated by an enthusiastic volunteer. According to Sal, this was a game-changer: “When you curate things, it makes more sense, and (when) things are highlighted their value goes up – their perceived value goes up – and they’re shown to their advantage.”
Sal has also enhanced the men’s section with the goal of creating “a very welcoming space that is understandable for men” with a distinctly “old-school men’s shop feel.” In addition to all things sartorial, the area now includes two comfortable wingback chairs with a coffee table where men can relax. He intentionally put the haberdashery next to the electronics section and sporting goods. “We want the guys (to) come in, we want them to find their space and be able to stay awhile,” said Sal.
While the non-profit world is new for Sal, being creative is not, as his background shows. After earning his BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Sal headed straight for New York City where he did accessory design for 26 years, working in the corporate offices of Calvin Klein and Liz Claiborne and designing for
Disney and Ralph Lauren through their licensed divisions, ultimately rising to Senior
Vice President of Design at Ralph Lauren Hosiery. Sal moved to Vero Beach
ten years ago with the aim of changing his trajectory. Here, he parlayed
his creative talent into interior design, which he found fun and exciting, and refined
his eye for furniture and home décor. He then moved into retail sales for the
first time at the Tommy Bahama shop in Vero Beach. “I realized I could sell,
which I had no idea before.”
Although Sal enjoyed his new venture at Tommy Bahama, after five years he was ready to make a move into the nonprofit sector, something he had been thinking about for quite some time. “How does one do that? You wait and you look for something that includes your skill set,” he said. He saw the ad for the VNA Hidden Treasures Manager position on the day after his birthday and immediately knew it was kismet. Based on the experience of his late brother-in-law, Sal was already very familiar with VNA Hospice: “It was such a warm hand on all of our backs, guiding us through this process in a really humane way that was so meaningful. So when I saw the VNA ad, I said to myself, ‘Okay, this is really a sign.’”
* The VNA Hidden Treasures Thrift store is is located at 656 21st Street in Vero Beach and can be followed on Facebook VNA Hidden Treasures Vero Beach. For more information about VNA Hospice, please visit www.vnatc.com
