Norwich - The flier for the new Taftville store, Maria's Treasures, calls it "a thrift store and more." The organizers of the combination bargain store and service center hope local families come in as much for the "more" as for the deep bargains on household goods.

The store is the new public face for Friends of Maria Inc., a local nonprofit helping women. It will have a grand opening from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the southern end of the giant Ponemah Mill complex.

Carol Croteau, who retired in 2007 as founder and executive director of Bethsaida Inc., which provides housing and other assistance to formerly homeless women, founded Friends of Maria as a low-key, low-cost way to give women a social network, services, friendship and possibly financial assistance.

Friends of Maria has regular office hours at St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 248 Broadway in Norwich. All income from the store will help fund its programs.

For the past few months, volunteers have been visiting yard sales and seeking donations of household items to fill the 5,000-square-foot rented space.

An adjacent computer store that was planning to close donated shelves. Another church that ran a clothing bank in its basement donated racks. Store manager Sue Conley, who used to own Clown City, donated more dress racks.

The space is now crammed with couches, chairs, full dining room sets, clothing and shoes, shelves and racks of sweaters and jackets, toys, bikes, strollers and kitchen items. There's a kitchen sink marked "This sink is for sale."

Recently retired Norwich Human Services Director Beverly Goulet donned rubber gloves and set to work washing a donated microwave oven Thursday morning.

"In retirement, you get to do what you want to do," Goulet, now a Friends of Maria board member, said. "For me, it's working with wonderful women who are doing a wonderful thing."

Santa and Mrs. Claus will borrow the living room chairs Saturday to meet with children, with a fireplace mantel in the background.

Croteau plans to use one section of the store as an information outlet for local services, support groups, local events and job listings.

"We want the people of Taftville to know this is their place," Croteau said.

Friends of Maria members have been working with Wequonnoc School in Taftville to spread the word. An eighth-grade girl from the school, who speaks Spanish, plans to volunteer at the store. Croteau is looking for a Haitian Creole speaker as well to help out the many immigrant families in the Taftville area.

Croteau also hopes store volunteers can learn useful skills they can add to job application resumes, such as arranging shelves, pricing items and interacting with customers.

Friends of Maria also joined the Children's First Norwich initiative that tries to identify children's needs and advocate for services.

"It's a real leap of faith doing this," Croteau said. "The landlord (Dan Adams) has been very understanding. We are paying rent, but he knows we can't pay until we start selling things."

c.bessette@theday.com

Twitter: @Bessettetheday

IF YOU GO

Maria's Treasures thrift store

509 Norwich Ave., Taftville

Open Wednesdays and Fridays, noon to 5 p.m.; Thursdays noon to 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To donate items or to volunteer, call (860) 884-5256 or (860) 889-1000.

Friends of Maria Inc.

Office at St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 248 Broadway, Norwich

Hours: Monday and Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesdays and Wednesdays 1 to 5 p.m.

For appointments call (860) 5256.