Former Books-A-Million to become Salvation Army thrift store

VENICE — The former Books-A-Million location in Venice will resume selling books in the near future, and will be carrying a lot of other merchandise as well.

Michele Matthews, area commander of The Salvation Army Sarasota County, said the organization has leased 4230 S. Tamiami Trail and plans to relocate its thrift store at 1160 S. U.S. 41 Bypass to the larger space.

The new location provides more room — more than 17,000 square feet — and more parking, and the warehouse portion is air conditioned, "which staff will really appreciate," she said.

The current location is cramped for the acceptance of donations, she said, calling the move "kind of the next step" for the store.

The Salvation Army is working with its contractor to get the space renovated, Matthews said. They're hoping to be done Sept. 1 but Oct. 1 is becoming more likely, she said.

The current store will remain open until the new one is ready, with a "seamless" transition planned, she said.

No hiring is planned, but it may be necessary if the new location results in an increase in donations, Matthews said.

The store was built by Books-A-Million in 1998 on land bought from Taylor Ranch Ltd. for $490,000, according to county property records. The company sold it a year later to L&C Interests LLC, of Louisiana, the current owner, for $1.750 million.

The store closed in February after more than 25 years in business.

According to the property appraiser's website, the just valuation of the property is $2.672 million.