New retail store plans to help local nonprofits
Adam Daley is the founder and owner of Granite State Discounts, a new discount retail store in Amherst that claims to sell name-brand household and essential products at the lowest price in the state while also partnering with local nonprofits to give back to the community.
What is Granite State Discounts?
It’s almost like a combination of a thrift store and a regular retail store. We sell everyday essential household items, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, diapers, hair care products, health care products, feminine care products, adult diapers. We’re offering them at the lowest price in the entire state of New Hampshire. If you can find it at another retailer, we’ll beat the price. Even when Walmart has a certain item that’s on sale, if we have that item we’ll beat the price. We also have a very large selection of new and secondhand clothing for men and women, children and babies. We have toys, games, novelties, books, vinyl records, a little bit of everything.
How are you able to pull off a retail concept like this?
I’m licensed to buy overstock. There’s also been some personal investment and saving up, and we also make money in other ways, like doing consignments.
What gave you the idea for this store?
My entire life, I always had a love for small discount stores. As a kid, I used to love places like Building #19, flea markets, things like that. I’ve always been interested in advertising and the way stores look and display their products. Having my own place one day was always in the back of my mind. I wanted to have a place that could possibly create memories for kids, the way I have memories of going to certain stores when I was a kid. … My goal is to be able to earn a living to contribute to my family while also helping to make it easier for others to contribute to theirs. I wanted to leave a legacy of kindness and set a good example for my kids.
What kind of shopping experience would you like to create for your customers?
I want this to be a place that doesn’t feel like a regular store. I want it to be a place people can go to when they don’t have much money but need to provide for their family. I want it to feel different than a typical dollar store or big corporation. I want it to have that old-school feeling of a mom-and-pop shop where people can come in and engage in conversation.
How is Granite State Discounts giving back to the community?
In a few different ways. The second Wednesday of every month is Heroes Day, where we take an additional 20 percent off the total purchase amount of $40 or more for veterans, active military, first responders, nurses and school teachers. We’re planning to do in-store fundraisers every other month for local nonprofits and organizations. Our first one is going to be in December for 603 Sober Living out of Manchester. It’s going to be an in-store shopping event where I’m going to print out certificates for the owner of 603 Sober Living to hand out to whoever she chooses, and for anyone who comes in to shop with a certificate, 603 Sober Living will receive 30 percent of that total sale. If business picks up a little more, we might do those kinds of events every month. We partner with New Hampshire Artists for Autism; we have some of their T-shirts and decals in the store, and money from those sales goes to their organization. We’re also planning to start doing shopping by appointment only on Tuesdays for individuals who have sensory issues or need physical accommodations. We’ll set up the shop in whatever way they need, with lower lighting or lowered noise, things like that. That way, people will have a sensory-friendly place to do their shopping.
What are your future plans for the store?
I’m hoping that we can get a larger location eventually so that we can hold more stuff and have a little more space to move around. We’d possibly have more than one location. I’ve also been thinking about trying to find some spaces to do some pop-up shops in the meantime.
Featured photo: Adam Daley. Courtesy photo.
