Thursday 21 January 2016

Find of the week.


My find of the week is this black and white geometric skirt, purchased from Sue Ryder in Sale.
Sale is such a dangerous place for me to work as the high street there is basically just becoming charity shops only and I have to walk past every single one of them on my way from the tram station to the office!

The Sue Ryder shop there only opened quite recently and it is a bit of a shop/jumble sale as the majority of the clothes are just piled together in size order in wooden compartments. There's a few dresses and coats on hangers but the majority of clothing is just in piles you need to rummage through.
All the clothing, shoes and accessories in the shop are a set price of £1. In a way, it's a typical discount shop (much like those that Barnardo's run) in that some stock is in such a condition that most charity shops would rag it but look around and you can find some real gems, like this skirt which was unworn and still with the original tags from boohoo.com. I've gotten quite good at just standing back and looking at fabrics and colours rather than trying to separate every single garment which would take forever!

I probably go into this Sue Ryder three times a week as the stock turnover is super quick. I think what's happening is the shop is selling all the stock which has been through pass-on in the local area and not sold. Many of the items have tags from other Sue Ryder shops with standard charity shop pricing just crossed through in marker pen. I rarely get back through the door without a purchase.

I always think to myself whether this model is the future of charity shops. No doubt it's a good way to make more money than the clothing would in rag but it's also a really low maintenance and cost set up. There's no getting away from the fact that it can look messy and it's difficult to know how long any piece of clothing has been out on the shop floor for but I think it really appeals to those of us who like a good rummage and feel charity shops have lost that.

Have you ever been to a shop like this? What did you think of it?

Char x

6 comments:

  1. I love shops like this! We used to have a barnardos £1.99 one in Leicester but that closed down, but the cancer research shop has become everything £3 or less. I enjoy the hunt more knowing that you can find a gem like you did there!!

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    1. 100% agree, Charlotte! It's a shame the Barnardo's closed down but at least you have the bargain Cancer Research still :) x

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  2. I agree, I love Chazzers like this! The more rummaging involved, the better! I am also expert at seeing the wood from the trees, you have to learn quickly otherwise you'd be in there for hours sorting through all of the different things. That skirt's a great find though!

    XO Amie
    Credit Crunch Chic

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    1. Thanks, Amie :)
      Yeah, I do it in regular chazzers too now - just stand back and look at the rail rather than looking through each item.

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  3. Sale is my home town! I live in London though and have done for years, but I always do a charity shop scout when I visit my parents. I can't picture where the Sue Ryder shop is - is it the one round the back by Sainsburys? I popped into Save the Children in Eltham today, and picked up a Maxmara pencil skirt for £1! Dry clean only and a bit of a mark on it but I bunged it in the machine on a hand wash cycle and job's a good 'un! Love your blog! Caroline

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    1. Hi Caroline! The Sue Ryder shop has only been open a couple of months so if you've not been back recently, you probably won't have seen it. It's down the street which leads to New Look, near the Post Office? The Salvation Army shop has closed and another charity have opened a shop near Sainsburys but that's never open, it's really weird! How're you finding the London charity shops? That MaxMara skirt is a great find! Thanks, I"m glad you like the blog :) x

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