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Carol Woods Shop Provides Social Scene and Charitable Resource

The gift shop at Carol Woods is a beehive of resident interaction that offers much more than retail.

Since January, 1984, when the Residents Association made the gift shop a standing committee at Carol Woods , residents have bonded with neighbors and formed friendships while shopping for everything from jewelry and hand knit sweaters to North Carolina pottery and toys for grandchildren.

Many of the 40 volunteers who run the gift shop were initially attracted to the committee for social reasons, and some found that it made the transition into community life easier.

Anne Heuer is an afternoon cashier for the gift shop and helps do the accounting at the end of the day. Heuer moved to Carol Woods from Glencoe, IL in 2002 and started working at the gift shop soon after.

“I started as soon as I came to Carol Woods because I didn’t know anyone here, and I thought that would be a good place to meet people,” Heuer said. “I figured there would be a lot of traffic there, and it would be an opportunity to get acquainted with folks.”

In the early days, gift shop merchandise primarily consisted of small personal items that residents needed such as toothbrushes and other toiletries. Over time, the stock changed considerably, offering everything from woodcarvings & woven items made by residents, to exercise tapes and photo restoration services. The store still stocks small convenience items such as candy and postage stamps.

One resident who has watched the gift shop evolve with the community is Sally Rohrdanz. Rohrdanz , originally from Orchard Park, NY, has volunteered in the shop for 13 years. Her husband, Paul, was chair of the Committee during its expansion in 1997, when 20% more sales space and an adjacent stockroom were added. Rohrdanz attributes the shift from practical items to gift items to the increase in retail businesses located close to Carol Woods.

“The emphasis on the shop has changed over time,” Rohrdanz explained. “In the early years, we didn’t have retail stores close by, so there was more need to stock personal items. These days, residents can easily go to Timberlyne or Chapel Hill North to shop”.

Keeping the store stocked with its current merchandise is a job that has proven to be both fun and eventful for Ginger Davis and Carol Daniel, who presently serve as the main buyers. They have been managing the store inventory for six years.

Davis started working as a sales clerk nine years ago, shortly after she and her husband, Bob, moved from their home in Chapel Hill.  She and Daniel, who came from New York City with her husband, Charles, had never met when they were assigned to their new positions. After learning the ropes from past buyers, Daniel and Davis found themselves having many adventures during their trips to Charlotte and Greensboro to purchase items at gift shows.

“We drive over early in the morning and work all day. We stay in a motel and work all night until we finish with everything we bought,” Davis said. “We check it all in, write it all down, and put prices on everything. We have stayed up as late as 3 or 4 a.m.”

 Recently, Daniel followed her buying instincts while on a trip to Thailand, where she bought items specifically for the gift shop.

“She planned to bring back items for the shop, so she left plenty of room in her suitcases,” Davis explained. The beautiful silk scarves and small purses were a big hit, and didn’t stay in the gift shop for long.

“Oh, they loved it! Residents love anything new and different,” Margie McKinney, current chair of the Gift Shop Committee commented.  “The items were gone pretty fast. I watched somebody buy three or four of those purses.”

Another recent popular item at the gift shop was popcorn sweaters that were sold just in time for Christmas last year. Davis and Daniel said they took a chance with these stretchable, multi-colored sweaters and the result was amazing.

“We sold 16 dozen popcorns sweaters, and that’s a lot of sweaters!”, said McKinney. The sweaters were our smash for the year, which really boosted our total sales”.

The success of sales in the gift shop determines how much the committee can donate to the Resident’s Assistance Fund. Contributions have increased steadily from $4,500 in the early years to $12,500 in 2006. The Resident’s Assistance Fund provides financial assistance to individual residents who outlive most of their assets and require some financial support.

Rorhdanz has seen the spirit of the gift shop permeate the community, and said that the donation of the money to the fund adds to the importance of the gift shop and why it continues to exist.

 “The thing that holds it together is that we need a great place to meet people on a rainy day,” Rorhdanz said. “We are glad the money goes to a worthy cause, and it has always been non-profit. As we sell things, it also serves a need for the people who live here.”