Tucson Oddity: Thrift store says 'Yes' to defunct shop's bold letters

So it seems only fitting a northwest-side outfit has capitalized on a department store's dissolution to help bring new attention to its own cause.

Since early this year, Yes Thrift — formerly Aaron and Sons — at 4650 N. Flowing Wells Road has seen increased traffic as a result of the Y-E-S logo it has emblazoned on both sides of a sign and on two sides of its building.

The bright blue letters are all that remains locally of Mervyns, the national chain that went bankrupt and eventually went out of business last year.

Yes Thrift co-owner Aaron Polley said he got the letters as part of a package deal when he bought $1,500 worth of shelving from the Mervyns that closed last fall at Tucson Mall.

"It was just part of the whole deal," Polley said. "They were just going to throw them out. If you go and buy those letters new, you're going to spend a whole lot of money."

Polley actually got all of the letters from the Mervyns signs, but after failing to find a use for the M's, N's, R's and V's — "I tried to sell them on Craigslist," he said — those consonants ended up getting crushed two weeks ago.

"Until then, we had them sitting in a pile," Polley said.

Polley said he hopes the added attention from the store's new signs will aid Yes Thrift's beneficiaries.

The store is affiliated with Youth on Their Own, a local nonprofit organization that serves students in grades eight through 12 who lack a stable, permanent home and a parent or long-term legal guardian. It also is affiliated with Junque for Hope, which used to be known as Junque for Jesus, an organization that recycles old vehicles for the needy.

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Call Brian J. Pedersen at 573-4224, or send an e-mail to bjp@azstarnet. com