“We’re closed … no drop-offs,” came the voice from a crew outside the Salvation Army Thrift Store on Warwick Avenue Saturday morning.

The crew was loading up an array of plastic bags filled with clothing that had been heaved over the fence to the white collection boxes closed for the night. In addition, was an assortment for boxes filled with books, toys, furniture and unwanted junk.

As it had rained overnight, all of it – even the slightly used clothing still packed in black plastic bags – would be going to the landfill.

“We can’t take it if it’s wet,” explained a member of the pickup crew who asked to remain anonymous.

As of May 1, the Warwick Avenue Salvation Army store and collection site closed indefinitely.

In a press release, the Salvation Army said the Warwick Avenue store is one of three of the seven operated by the nonprofit agency closing. Also closed are the Pawtucket and North Providence stores. The Warwick store on Route 5 across from Lowe’s remains open.

“The decision to close these stores was not made lightly,” Major Brian Thomas, who oversees The Salvation Army Family Thrift Stores in Rhode Island, said in the release, “but after much review, it seems to be the most responsible choice.”

The release goes on to explain the Salvation Army regularly reviews the financial performance of its stores, services and programs to ensure maximum efficiency, and available offerings are discontinued only when absolutely necessary. Along with expenses from increased salaries, the recent shutdown due to the pandemic added additional pressures.

It goes on to say despite closure of the three stores, The Salvation Army stresses that assistance for financial hardship and a variety of other life issues will continue to be available through their service office located at 386 Broad St. in Providence, 102 High St. in Pawtucket, and other area stores.

Closure of the Warwick Avenue store will presumably eliminate a source of complaints over dumping.

The cleanup crew cited the Warwick Avenue store as the worst of stores for the indiscriminate dumping of everything from toilets to broken furniture, appliances, mattresses and unwanted building materials.

A chain link fence with gate was erected around the clothing collection bins to discourage the dumping. The gates were opened during store hours to allow people to drop off clothing donations. But that didn’t stop people from tossing bags over the fence or simply dropping them on the ground, which attracted trash pickers who went through the bags pulling out what they wanted and leaving the rest to be strewn across the parking lot.

The stores worked in concert with The Salvation Army’s social services offices, providing clothing, furniture and bargain goods to families in need through a cooperative voucher system.

With the stores closed, The Salvation Army's Corps community centers will work to fill the void, according to the release.

Employees of the stores that have closed, the release says, are being offered open positions at other Salvation Army centers.

“The Thrift Store did provide great value to many families in need,” Captain Edilberto Lozano, who oversees The Salvation Army’s social services office at Pawtucket, said in a statement. “Although the store is leaving, The Salvation Army isn’t going anywhere. We’re still absolutely committed to meeting needs by serving this community.”