There are a lot of blogs and articles out there about #secondhandseptember and the last thing we want to do is add to the information overload that we see so much of these days. However, this is a month during our year of providing secondhand and preloved goodies to our local community that we really get behind. So before you see that this blog is titled the way it is, take a beat and read why we’re so passionate about making a difference in our community during September!
We love a good bargain.
And who doesn’t?! But the best thing about finding a good bargain in a secondhand store is that you would never be able to find that item for that price brand new! A Coach handbag, a pair of Diesel jeans, a complete marble chess set, a crystal punch bowl – all of these items would be well below any kind of discount you’d find in a typical store, while if you came across these pieces in a thrift setting, your savings would be wild! And it doesn’t just have to be big brands either – a pair of regular boots or a good book is often less than half the RRP in a thrift setting! Those savings are going straight to you.
We love supporting local.
By shopping for vintage and preloved items, you are inadvertently supporting something locally grown. Sure, big thrift chains like Salvos and Oxfam and Vinnies have multiple stores all over multiple countries, BUT the premise is the same – they started small, they receive their goods from small and their volunteers come from small. It can get even better too – if you decide to skip the bigger thrift stores like those listed above and go for the smaller ones like Second Chances, Breakthrough Missions and even us you’re actually supporting local businesses and charity at the grassroots level. These are the stores and community spaces that came from dreams, and that’s exciting!
We love stories.
Every piece you thrift in a small or large op shop, has a story. It might be a book with someone’s name and their birthdate in the front cover, or it might be a wedding dress in an 80’s style or it might be a table runner with handstitched lace at the ends – whatever you unearth in an op shop holds story. Someone bought or made and then loved and used that item before you and it was a part of their journey – and we love that thrifted items tie us together as people. You’re never too far from someone else’s story when you buy secondhand.
We love joining together.
Fast fashion takes all of us to combat. Buying preloved, vintage and reusable items is the way to make an impact in this area no matter how small it might be. You may only be able to shop secondhand once a month, but for that once a month visit, you are making an impact where you could have chosen to shop elsewhere. We may not ever see the impact our shopping or donating secondhand makes in the world, but hopefully by joining together to take small steps in the right direction, future generations will.
Of course, there’s always more. There’s always more to why any of us do what we do and choose to support who we support, but these are our big ones. Secondhand September is more than a hashtag, it’s about creating buzz around thrifting and raising a hand to say ‘yes, I support local and community spaces and yes, I support a sustainable planet at the same time’.
Each week this month, we are adding a different sale item to our already awesome preloved prices to encourage you to be a part of this movement – we currently have boots for $2, books for $1 and jackets for $5 so make sure you get up and out there this week and do some good, from a thrifting point of view anyway!
Coffee brewing and sweet treats available in store as usual too. Come pop in – we’d love to see you and hear how you’re supporting #secondhandseptember this year!
a place to meet 
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