Cleveland Salvos store seeks volunteers as customers return and sales boom amid relaxed coronavirus restrictions

Cleveland Salvos store general manager Narelle Pacey said the shop had been overrun with customers since reopening in May and was in need of more volunteers.

Ms Pacey said 1200 customers had been visiting the store each week on average, with clothes and electrical goods the big sellers since lockdown.

"As soon as I put an electrical item out it seems to be flying of the shelf," she said.

"It is interesting how our retail landscape has changed.

"We have always sold lots of clothing but I think we are selling more now. I just need more people to get it out."

Ms Pacey said volunteer positions were a good fit for people who were currently without work or those seeking to gain retail skills.

"There are people here who just want to help us and they are the sort of people I am looking for, those that just want to come and give a few hours each week," she said.

"We have two registers in this store and some days I struggle to have a second register operator so they can learn those skills as well."

Roles ranged from sorting and pricing clothing, to cleaning donations and working on the registers.

Ms Pacey said no experience was necessary and volunteers would be taught on the job.

The call out for helpers comes after the store was forced to close its doors for about four weeks during the height of the pandemic.

Ms Pacey said people had been keen to drop off donations even after the retail side of the shop had closed.

"There was myself and one volunteer out the back," Ms Pacey said.

"That is all that were left (because) the rest were told that they didn't have to come in.

"We were shut for sales but we were still open for donations so people were still packing up their stuff and bringing it down to us."

COVID-19 had a massive impact on the chain, with sales falling by a whopping 85 per cent.

To enquire about a volunteer position, call 07 3821 7008.

Read more local news here.