Church Mouse Feels Economic Slump

Shoppers lined up outside, as they do every year at this time, on the first Monday in October.
Then at 10am sharp, the Church Mouse in Palm Beach opened its doors and bargain hunters streamed in.
Stephanie Daunais of Palm Beach, a mother of two, was one of the first ones through the door.
"People like myself are collectors and we're gonna come out no matter what. It doesn't matter if the economy is the way it is or gas prices are as high as they are," Daunais told us.
She says she never misses this day each fall, when the Church Mouse re-opens after being closed for the summer.
She loves to come in and look for china and porcelain and see what else people donated.
The Church Mouse, a re-sale shop and thrift store on South County Road, relies on donations of used items to stock its shelves. They get everything from clothes and books, to shoes and furniture.
But this summer has been different. Donations of used merchandise and clothing practically dried up.
Donations fell by 40%.
"In the ten years we've been here, I've never seen it like this. What do you mean? It's just, the economy the way it is, and the donations are down," said Carole LoBianco, assistant manager at the Church Mouse.
This was the first day they've been open since closing for the summer in early June.
LoBianco says says apparently, the wealthy in Palm Beach are holding onto their used things a little longer, in these tough economic times.
"It's pretty bad out there," she said.
Amy Mountain of Jupiter was checking out the women's clothes.
She told us she's more cautious now about how much she spends.
"You watch your pennies a little bit more when you're shopping. So it has impacted a little bit, but not too bad so far," Mountain explained.
The Church Mouse supports dozens of charities from the sales of its used goods. But depending on how sales go this year, the charities may have to get by on a little less money. The manager of the shop says each year they provide $350,000 to $400,000 to charities such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Lighthouse for the Blind, Children's Home Society and others.