Nonprofit Ten Thousand Villages hosts summer sale block party in Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Ten Thousand Villages, a fair-trade nonprofit with a location in Richmond, is hosting a summer sale block party this Sunday in hopes to clear out the store.

Every item at Ten Thousand Villages in Richmond’s Carytown area will be 50% off on Sunday, July 16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. as they aim to clear out inventory to make room for a new look.

Patrons that come for the sales might want to stick around for the party, as there will be food trucks — italian ice and bao buns — and a local band — It’s All Right — that will be at the store from 1 to 4 p.m.

Ten Thousand Villages is an organization with locations all over the country dedicated to maintaining a fair-trade approach while showcasing artisan-crafted accessories from across the globe.

Last year, the nonprofit was almost forced to shut down as a result of low sales, but thanks to some help from the local community they were able to bounce back. Some might assume that this is a close out sale, but in reality, Ten Thousand Villages Richmond will be getting a whole new look.

As a result of increased foot traffic over the past year, Ten Thousand Villages Richmond was picked by their regional company to be one of the new concept stores. Even though they are getting a new layout, the store wants to reassure customers that their mission remains the same — to help showcase the work of artisans in developing countries while making sure they are paid fairly for their products.

“We really hope to continue another 30 years in Carytown,” said Aisha Eqbal, Executive Director for Ten Thousand Villages Richmond. “We hope to hit our 30 year mark next year, and we would not have been able to get here without the local community,”

Although the store is not closing, Eqbal says she hopes that the sale will help clear the store out to make room for new inventory, as the reopening with the new look will happen at a yet-to-be-determined date in August.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRIC ABC 8News.