U
ntil recently, very little had changed at the Mt. Lebanon
Trading Post and it has remained a social hub for
volunteers and customers for more than 70 years.
Founded during World War II, local school officials created the
trading post so that mothers in the area could exchange rationed
items, including rubber products and clothes. A committee ran
the trading post during the war, which was only open three days a
week and relied on 30 volunteers.
Kathy Pattak, current president of the Mt. Lebanon Trading
Post, says the organization quickly expanded to include more
volunteers and began to sell other items on consignment in
order to meet expenses after World War II ended. Every year, the
Trading Post donates its proceeds to local charities selected by its
volunteers.
“The store has been in business for so long because people,
particularly the volunteers, believe in the mission,” Pattak says.
The Mt. Lebanon Trading Post relocated several times since it
was founded, but has been at 1604 Potomac Avenue in Dormont
since 1985. The name has stayed the same because its reputation
is strong. That shows how residents have come to rely on the
Trading Post, not only for gently used items but also as a social
center.
“Many of our customers and consignors have been with us for
a very long time,” Pattak notes. “They come to the store not only
to shop but also to see the volunteers who have become their
friends. The volunteers feel the same way about the customers.
Sometimes customers are here for 30 minutes without
purchasing anything—just chatting about their families or other
things going on in their lives.”
Everyone who works at the Trading Post is a volunteer and
many have been with the organization for decades. Pattak says
the oldest volunteer is 93 and has been involved with the Trading
Post for more than 40 years. However, the Trading Post is always
looking for additional volunteers who want to become a cashier
or receiver. Pattak says she also wants to find an expert who could
help create a website for the Trading Post.
“I would hope the website would give the store a wider
audience in a broader community and therefore increase the
number of consignors and customers,” Pattak explains. “We
would be able to post things on a website that we can’t put on
a Facebook page so that prospective consignors could find the
operational rules and other store information without having to
come to the store.”
Like many other volunteers at the Trading Post, Pattak first
entered the store as a consignor. She became a volunteer after
she retired from teaching for 38 years. Although it’s a very
different role, Pattak became president of the Trading Post in
2015 and enjoys working with the volunteers and promoting the
organization. As president, she has learned new marketing and
networking skills.
The first big change to come to the Mt. Lebanon Trading Post
arrived last year, with the installation of a new computer system
to track consignments. Otherwise, very little has changed over
the decades, Pattak says. The new computer system has made the
consignment process much more efficient.
“Consignment lists are no longer written by hand, sales do not
have to be recorded individually on an almost daily basis, payouts
are automatically calculated at the end of each pay period and the
checks are printed,” Pattak explains. “Even the consignors have
commented on how much simpler the procedures are with the
use of the computer.”
Clothing, kitchen items, linens, toys, games, books, DVDs and
holiday goods are popular at the Trading Post, but lamps and
small appliances sell very quickly. Consignors are limited t o 10
items per week and split the proceeds with the Trading Post.
“Many consignors and customers who have been with us for
years come in often because they know there are always new
items to purchase,” Pattak says. “As the only consignment/resale
shop in the community, we have a regular clientele that would
miss us if we weren’t here.”
The Trading Post is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and
Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Thursday from 9 a.m. to
6 p.m. Consignments are accepted from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday to
Thursday as well as Saturday. The Trading Post is traditionally
closed during the summer from the second week of June until
Labor Day.
Because it offers so many different benefits, Pattak expects
that the Mt. Lebanon Trading Post will remain a fixture in the
community for the foreseeable future. ■
>> For more information, call 412.561.2206 or visit facebook.com/MtLebanonTradingPost.
Mt. Lebanon | Summer 2017 | icmags.com 19