Choice of junk thrift stores in Santa Rosa

admin September 6, 2025

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Choice of junk thrift stores in Santa Rosa

A popular choice for junk thrift stores, the store’s proceeds for lost and sterilized unowned cats, are relocating from their long-term residence on Piner Road.

The move is part of a bigger effort by the nonprofit, the Forgotten Cats, which runs Santa Rosa’s store, to help curb populations of stray cats in the county.

The garbage choice is taking over the former Joan fabric location and occupying adjacent retail space on Industrial Avenue and Cleveland Avenue in North Santa Rosa.

Store manager Brian Benn and a small team of workers and volunteers have been on site since early August, tearing off the old carpet and removing shelves that once lined up in craft store shelves to prepare for later this month.

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Pip Marquez de la Plata, executive director of Forgotten Felines in Sonoma County, evaluated the interior of a former Joan fabric store that will become the future home of Santa Rosa’s future cargo store.

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It is one of the organization’s largest projects since its launch 35 years ago and is driving it’s increasing capacity at its Spay and Neuter clinics.

“It’s a huge cause for us,” said executive director Pip Marquez de la Plata.

The organization provided medical services for about 4,500 cats last year through the Forgotten Feline, Neutral and Return Program, where community members send cats into the service and fix them in the same area where they were captured and then released in the same area.

It was a record year for the group, but Marquez de la Plata said the organization aims to fix an average of 8,000 cats per year to stabilize and reduce the rogue population.

Store sales are essential to support this effort.

However, the store’s current website has hindered the revenue from the junk, resulting in more revenue, and the store’s current website has little to have enough space to accept more donations and limited parking spaces.

Organization officials hope that the new, expanded footprint will attract more shoppers and accept more donations to keep the floors in stocks constantly.

It will be on September 25 at 3620 Industrial Dr.

Focus on wandering organizations

The Forgotten Feline repaired 180 cats in its first year, but as the organization tried to help more animals, members worked hard to make steady donations to help fund the surgery.

“I think they realize that they have to spend a lot of time trying to get people to give us money, just like they are trying to help cats.”

The idea of a thrift store that can provide a dedicated source of income was born out of this sense of frustration.

The option of open garbage in 1701 Piner Rd. In 1997, it initially occupied a quarter of today’s space.

Over the next decade, the store’s revenue allowed forgotten felines to increase the number of surgeries their teams offered on average 2,000 per year.

The organization estimates that this is a thriving statistics for the mission: an unpaid female cat, her companion and their offspring can produce nearly 12,000 cats in five years.

Marquez de la Plata said that 75% to 80% of stray cat populations that must be fixed in a certain area must be fixed to help reduce the population, but the organization aims to reach 100% of stray cat populations.

The nonprofit organizes up to three Spay and Neuter clinics at its Imperial Industrial Court headquarters every week, a team of veterinarians, registered veterinary technicians and volunteers provide care for approximately 50 cats during each clinic.

On a recent Wednesday, veterinary technicians prepared surgery for cats, performed vaccines, fleas and tick treatments, and examined for ear mites, lesions and other injuries.

From kittens to the age of the elderly, about 46 cats were brought into the service.

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Volunteers and staff care about cats recovered from Santa Rosa’s Forgotten Cats, Santa Rosa’s Forgotten (Thurs August 14, 2025) (Beth Schlank/Press Democrat)

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Neutrals are performed inside the clinic and take about one minute, while more involvement is performed at the mobile clinic parked outside the building, taking about 10 minutes of spray.

Once the process is complete, the cat moves it to an observation area where the fluid it provides and the volunteers monitor their pulse and temperature, then place it in a crate until they get rid of anesthesia and are ready to release.

Expansion is store revenue, and donation levels are reduced

Changes and other veterinary services cost about $400 per cat, while the forgotten feline covers the bills for cats that require more intensive care at a veterinary hospital.

Store sales account for about half of the organization’s annual revenue, and sales have grown in recent years as second-hand clothing and other merchandise gained popularity, especially among younger shoppers.

Public tax documents show that the organization reported in 2023 that the organization’s total sales were about $1.48 million, a record in the most recent year.

On its busiest days, the store has completed about 350 sales, but store officials estimate they can see twice the number of shoppers flipped over the shelves and sift out a large number of books, movies, music and toys.

But the store restrictions have led to sales escalation in the past year, Marquez de la Plata said.

He said donations also help offset some expenses, which is also flat.

“We are at this peak now and we need to figure out how to get more money from both stores, donors, so we can get the job done and continue to grow,” Marquez de la Plata said.

The organization has been seeking new space for at least three years. The right location will be larger and let them store more inventory, have enough parking, and be close to the current store where the current organization builds a loyal following.

Bain, the thrift store manager, said officials looked at several options, including the Furniture 2000 Store on Mountain Avenue and the hardware supply on Cleveland Avenue.

Then in June, the Joann Store closed in May after the state retailer declared bankruptcy.

Benn said the space is nearly twice the size of the current store of trash, and is 18,500 square feet away, just a mile away.

Officials seized the opportunity.

Nonprofit officials want to increase coverage

Marquez de la Plata admits that the move is a bit risky.

“We know that from the transition period itself, we will be hit and spend money on work,” he said. “We are trying to do that with as little money as possible and rely on people’s kindness to help nonprofits because we just want to focus on helping cats.”

Most of the demolition and renovations are taking place internally to help keep costs down, while Benn plans to reuse some of the remaining existing fixtures from the Fabric Store.

Former store staff and organization members came to help with the move, and electricians are donating time.

But officials believe it will pay off.

Marquez de la Plata estimates that the organization will have to bring in at least 25% of its revenue to maintain current service levels and pay for increased rental fees, which officials believe is feasible.

Any additional income above will increase the number of weekly hosted spay and Neuter clinics for forgotten cats.

He said that coupled with the new software developed by the organization, which can help map and track cat colonies, cat conditions and their needs, will help organizations provide more targeted care.

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Handwritten notes read “Please note – Very fun and a little crazy”, hanging on a crate of a stray cat on Thursday, August 14, 2025, the forgotten cat in Sonoma County, Santa Rosa.

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