Libertyville resale shop to get recycled

Marking the end of an era, the Blue Smock Shop resale shop in downtown Libertyville closed its doors for good Saturday after 35 years.

To its customers, employees and volunteers, the shop was more than just a hometown store that offered clothing and household goods at bargain prices.

The shop, run by the Condell Medical Center auxiliary, was a place to look for treasures, such as the end table that Kara Sponburgh bought Saturday.

It gave families a place to donate clothes and household items they no longer needed, said Sponburgh, who is the Main Street Libertyville promotion coordinator.

"Everyone I talk to says how much they'll miss the Blue Smock," she said.

The day was bittersweet for shop manager Janet Matthews who worked in the store since it opened, for the first 10 years as a volunteer.

"It was very convenient for people. We never required an appointment to drop off items, and we recycled everything. On a Monday morning after a weekend of garage sales, we would be very busy," Matthews said.

An array of games, lamps and all manner of knick-knacks were discounted steeply during the final sale. The thrift store accepted donations only, no consignment items, and was the benefactor of good quality merchandise over the years, Matthews said.

The shop at 111 Church St., its second location, was run by the hospital's auxiliary -- its fundraising arm -- and staffed mainly by volunteers.

Increased competition in the resale business and a prime downtown location led to the decision to close the Blue Smock, said Sandy Marquardt, auxiliary president.

The auxiliary, she said, "has plans for different fundraising opportunities."

What those new pursuits might be, as well as the disposition of the building, hasn't been determined, she added.

The thrift shop will surely be missed, she said. "It's not just the shop. It's the people. It's family," Marquardt said.