New London — The Salvation Army Store at 170 Bank St. could move to a larger location with convenient parking in an effort to attract more shoppers and boost slumping sales.

The secondhand clothing and furniture store, which has been operating in the building it owns on Bank Street since the late 1970s, had been polling customers to ask their preference about the store staying where it is or moving to another location, possibly on Boston Post Road in Waterford adjacent to the Ocean State Job Lot store.

Edyta Orzel, marketing coordinator for the Connecticut Salvation Army, said of the Bank Street location, "There is no one down there after 6 p.m., except for people who are going to a restaurant or bar."

There is also no off-street parking, Orzel said, so the majority of patrons are walk-ins.

While the Waterford location in the former Big Y supermarket has been mentioned, Orzel said there's been no decision to move the store out of New London.

"We are looking for ideas," she said. "We're trying to decide whether to move or not because we are not doing well in that store."

Of 11 "family stores" operated by the Salvation Army in Connecticut to support their Adult Rehabilitation Center programming, which provides spiritual, social and emotional assistance for men and women who have lost their ability to cope and provide for themselves, the New London and Torrington stores are the lowest-grossing, said Orzel.

"We have a program for people who have no insurance, and it is a good program, and it is free," she said, explaining how thrift shop revenues help to support the work of the Salvation Army.

The Bank Street brick and masonry retail shop, which was built in 1965, according to files at the city assessor's office, contains 4,415 square feet of usable retail space, according to Orzel, who said it is the smallest of the Salvation Army stores. Old city directories list a prior tenant of the property as the state Labor Department.  

"We need a convenient location with better parking. And we want a store that people can walk to, that's on a bus route, a store that can serve everybody," she said.

Until recently, the Bank Street Salvation Army store had a sign posted at the check-out register asking customers their opinion of the thrift shop's future plans, and a container where they could put a note voicing their opinion.

While employees at the New London store declined to talk, Orzel said some of them have raised concerns about the ability of their many walk-in customers to get to a more distant location.

"We definitely want to stay where people can reach us, and not just by car," she said, adding, "This is really a business decision." 

The Salvation Army thrift stores are in great need of gently used clothing, furniture and household goods, which can be donated at the local store.

"We have a lot of competitors now, and our big issue is getting clothing donations," Orzel said.

"We want clothing, furniture and household goods in good condition," she said. "Nothing stained or broken. But right now we are really struggling with clothing."  

Patrons may drop off donations at the New London store during regular business hours, which are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. the rest of the week, with the exception of Sunday, when the store is closed.

a.baldelli@theday.com

Twitter: @annbaldelli