HOISINGTON — The RSVP Thrift Store first opened for business in 2002 in downtown Hoisington.  Earlier that summer, the Commission on Aging decided that a thrift store would be a good fund-raiser for RSVP and Hoisington was selected as the location since the Salvation Army already had a thrift store in Great Bend.  Mary Lou Warren was director of RSVP at the time and Selma Webb was the Hoisington leader of the project.  
With help from the original group of volunteers, Shirley Smith, Lydia Brack, Marlene Hutson, Kathy Collins, Frances Winston, and Melva Merlau, and a lot of hard work, the RSVP Thrift Store opened for the Labor Day Sidewalk Sale in Hoisington which was on Aug. 31 in 2002.  
The thrift store was in three locations in downtown Hoisington before settling at 158 South Main in 2006.  After moving three times in the first four years of operation, Selma Webb purchased the current location and leases it to RSVP at a very reasonable price.  The store is run completely by volunteers.  Webb is the store manager and she has recruited a dedicated group of volunteers to assist:  James and Lucy Jay, Delilah Winkler, Georgia Richardson, Irene Gallentine, Leona Cheney, Leta Ochs, Lois Schuster, Janet Hipp, Bert Whitmore, Glenn Schuster, Terry Nech and Melissa Nech.  
The store is open from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.–2 p.m. on Saturday.  There are many gently used items on sale for bargain basement prices.  On a recent visit, there was a baby bed full of very nice stuff animals, several bookshelves full of books, a very nice selection of clothing in all sizes, and more knick-knacks and kitchen items than you can imagine.  The store relies on donations from the community for stock to sell.  
All of the proceeds from the sales at the RSVP Thrift Store support RSVP programs in Barton and Pawnee Counties. “RSVP appreciates the community support and volunteer efforts that have kept the thrift store going for the past 10 years and we look forward to 10 more successful years”, Donna Baugh, director of RSVP said.  
In honor of the 10th anniversary, the thrift store will host a 10 percent off sale on everything in the store from Sept. 1-8.