When reTails opened a permanent adoption "store" in Washington Square Mall in Oct. 2010, nobody could guess how it would do. This was the first time a rescue group in Indiana had operated a permanent storefront adoption center. The adoption "store" was built-up in 3 weeks in  1100 square feet in a former camera shop. But the modest endeavor has been an unqualified life-saving success.

Although a necessary first step, our little shop poses many challenges. The first being a lack of space. Squeezing 10 built-in dog kennels and 9 cat cages/condos takes up the majority of the space, leaving little room for office, filing or storage...and no room for "creature comforts" for the people, like a place to sit down. To get into the store with animals requires a long, winding stroll through 175' of service corridors. The tight quarters make for a lot of anxiety in the dogs and the volunteers, and all packed into a very tight space where there is often no room to walk.

Months of discussion with the management of Washington Square Mall finally yielded a great opportunity. A new space, nearly 5,000 square feet, a direct rear entrance from outside and an even better location in the mall. The price is the same as the 1100 square foot space. One small problem -- the new space was dismantled during mall expansion and in need of serious TLC.

The above picture is how we hope it will look by the end of Fall 2011. However, there is much work to be done first. Although much of the work will be done by volunteers, we still are hoping to raise about $30,000 to full build and outfit the new store. If you would like donate online, use the convenient box on the left side of the screen. Donations may be mailed to:

reTails, Inc.
P.O. Box 482
Greenfield, IN 46140

reTails is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and donations are tax deductible.

Stay tuned for updates on the progress! Visit our Picasa album for more progress pictures!