But the Second Chance Thrift Store, 17 N. 11th St., isn’t going to be one of those businesses to open its doors to the public — at least not yet.

“We have made a decision that we just can’t be like everyone else right now with reopening because of the coronavirus that’s going on,” said Steve Roe, executive director of the Beacon of Hope. “We don’t know what Webster County will be looking like over the next few months. We know numbers are going up.”

Two new cases were reported in the county Tuesday.

The Second Chance Thrift Store directly supports the Beacon of Hope men’s shelter. The 15,000-square-foot store is run by the men who live at the shelter.

Roe said that he is particularly concerned about his residents who might be more vulnerable to the virus.

“My greatest concern and responsibility is our residents,” Roe said. “Our store is ran by the residents and so they are being exposed to the public if we were to reopen.”

Roe said oftentimes the public has misconceptions about who homeless people are.

“We get a lot of elderly people that come out of hospitals that are waiting for housing,” Roe said. “It could take two years to find housing for someone in their 70s or 80s. And we have a number of people with compromised immune systems. We have one guy who has cancer. Another guy just finished his cancer treatment. We have one guy who is in the hospital right now who any minute he could pass away.”

Eric Howard is the chaplain for the Beacon. He said the number of residents at the Beacon is lower than it normally is because of the virus. And the shelter has had to be more selective in who gets to stay there.

“We are a little more selective and getting more insight on where individuals are coming from before we let them in,” Howard said. “Normally, people would come to us and we have a full intake form, but we no longer can function right now like that due to the COVID.”

As of Tuesday, 20 men lived at the Beacon.

“Our capacity just won’t be like it has been,” Howard said. “Over the winter we were at 55 or more. I don’t think we would be going back to that.”

The way the building is set up, residents live in close quarters.

“There is no social distance,” Howard said.

Roe said the original plan was to open up the thrift store on June 15.

“I was carrying the responsibility of opening the store,” Roe said. “As I saw numbers going up and the outbreak in Storm Lake. Plus, we had nine or 10 people that worked at Prestage (Foods of Iowa in Eagle Grove), so we had to ask them to quit their jobs or move out because of the safety of these other guys.

“As I watched all this stuff unfolding, it’s hitting us a little closer to home.”

And then it was revealed by The Messenger on Saturday that multiple cases were reported at the Fort Dodge Residential Correctional Facility.

“The halfway house — they had cases there and we are a lot alike,” Roe said. “We are in between. If we were to get the coronavirus in our mission, it would be absolutely devastating. I want to be prepared for a war before the war gets here. I pray we don’t have one, but we have to be prepared.

“So when I saw the 15th coming up, I told my board I couldn’t make the decision on my own. The board definitely agreed our first mission is for our men and the second mission is for our community through the store.”

Roe said he hopes the community understands the decision and that it was a difficult one to make.

“Does it greatly affect us?” Roe said. “Of course it does. We rely on a good chunk of the money coming from the store to support the Beacon.”

Roe and Howard have fallen on hard times before. And in those times, they put their faith in the Lord.

In fact, 10 years ago when the Beacon was founded, there were questions as to whether it would last.

“I started the mission in the beginning and was praying someone would bring someone along my side,” said Roe.

That person ended up being Howard, who had been communicating through email with Roe from Phoenix, Arizona.

“He knew about the mission and encouraged me and was praying for the mission,” Roe recalled.

Howard, a Chicago native, added, “It started with Steve going out and ministering to the homeless people and getting ignited in his own heart about that.”

Then one day, Howard called Roe to tell him he was moving to Iowa.

“And I knew in an instant he was coming to work with me,” Roe said. “When he called and told me, I started crying. I was beside myself trying to figure out everything on my own.”

In the early going, every day brought a new challenge.

“Eric and I moved into that building and we lived there that first year and gradually got it going,” Roe said, “There was times we didn’t even have food and someone all of the sudden would show up with funeral food.”

Howard said it has been quite a ride to be part of the shelter since its founding.

“It’s been very eye-opening to be at the beginning of something started,” Howard said. “We had the blood, sweat and tears of every nook and cranny. Whether it’s the guys, the building, or not getting food. That whole process. We have seen all of that. Which makes that unique — our hearts are really poured into the people.”

Over the weekend, Roe again had tears in his eyes as he contemplated the decision of reopening the store.

“The other day, with everything going on — this guy (Howard) has seen me cry a lot and I went downstairs and all this heaviness and he said, ‘Are you alright?'” Roe said. “He hugged me and started praying for me. He’s my brother and always will be my brother.”

Roe said the board plans to reevaluate the decision to open in a month or so.

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