Store offers jobs for the disabled

PARMA, Ohio (AP) — Customers at this Cleveland suburb Just-A-Buck store say they like not just scooping up bargains, but supporting a workforce with special needs.

The recession-motivated bargain hunters say they like finding deals in toiletries, toys, trinkets and more.

“You can’t go wrong for a buck!” says Dorothy Capretta, of Cleveland, clutching an artificial plant and a bunch of lighters shaped like pigs during one of her daily visits to the Midtown Shopping Center store with the bright, white interior.

But they also like meeting store workers.

The nonprofit Just-A-Buck franchise’s staff, some of whom have lost their jobs elsewhere, are motivated by work and developing their people skills.

“You’ve got to give these people a chance,” said June Rocco, of Parma.

The store belongs to S.A.W (Solutions at Work) Inc., a nonprofit arm of the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. It’s staffed by about 16 agency clients and six board supervisors.

Workers seem to like the customers, too.

“What a nice boy!” Karen Vershall said while taking a regular’s money. “Every day he works and spends his money!”

This is Vershall’s first retail job.

“I like being out with the public and seeing everybody,” she said.

For most of the staff, Just-A-Buck’s April 27 opening came just in time. They had recently been laid off from other S.A.W placements at various workplaces.

Overall, S.A.W. is one of the largest employers of persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities in Ohio. It employs 2,500 adults who are enrolled with the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.

Companies contract with S.A.W. to have clients perform service and utility work, packaging, assembly, collating, salvaging, data entry, custodial work, grounds maintenance and mail and copy work.

Just-A-Buck Licensing, Inc., headquartered in New Windsor, N.Y., supports a chain of franchised and company-owned dollar stores with locations throughout the eastern United States.

Merchandising, display and the fact that so many of the stores are owned by franchisees eager to make their businesses grow are characteristics of the stores.

The Parma store’s opening weeks were good, and it is on pace to better its revenue target for 2009. Any profit supports S.A.W’s mission of training clients and placing them at sheltered workshops or mainstream workplaces.