Joseph's Coat will close at the end of July

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of Joseph's Coat. Bethany House Executive Director Catherine Hassinger  is third from the left, next to Mason Supervisor Penny Gross.

Joseph’s Coat, the thrift store that opened in central Annandale just over a year ago, will close by the end of July, confirmed Catherine Hassinger, executive director of Bethany House of Northern Virginia.

“We moved into the store after 18 years in another location and had a more difficult time than anticipated to build up a customer base,” Hassinger said. “We had some older clients and it was difficult for them to travel a bit further to get to us.”

Prices on everything in the store are marked down.

She said the much-larger Goodwill store that opened a few blocks away in February wasn’t a factor. “That would have been an easy excuse but we weren’t doing well before that.”

Meanwhile, everything in Joseph’s Coat is 25 percent off. Prices will drop to 50 percent off next week and 75 percent by the last two weeks. Everything in the store is being sold, including the shelving.  

Hassinger makes it clear that Bethany House itself is not shutting down. “Please reach out to us,” she says, if you or someone you know needs help. The organization provides temporary housing and support services to woman and children affected by domestic abuse. Joseph’s Coat is the only retail shop operated by Bethany House, and there are no plans to open another store anywhere else. 

Joseph’s Coat moved to Annandale in April 2012 to a building at 7219 Columbia Pike that formerly housed Fairfax Auto Parts. Its former location, in a shopping center on Annandale Road by Route 50, was demolished to make way for a new shopping center being developed by Bill Page Honda.

Hassinger said the higher rents being charged for that space preclude Bethany House from returning to its old location. Other stores expected to move into the new shopping center include Anthony’s Restaurant, Walgreens, and BB&T Bank.

Joseph’s Coat has a long-term lease for the building and is trying to find a sub-tenant, said Bob Herbert of Fairfax Auto Parts and a partner in Kaybar Associations, the owner of the property at 7219 Columbia Pike.