Beaudesert’s op shops are bursting at the seams with bargains after bumper donations over the break.
Several op shops even had to put a temporary halt on donations to give volunteers a chance to sort through the swathes of goods they received.
The perfect time to op shop
Locals looking to save money, dress differently and reduce waste while helping charities are being encouraged to take advantage of Beaudesert’s full-to-the-brim op shops.
Volunteers have been run off their feet sorting through an influx of donations and now they are happy to be busy selling the pre-loved goods to local op shoppers.
Volunteers at Beaudesert Uniting OpShop especially had their work cut out for them after the shop was disappointingly targeted by vandals several times over the school holidays.
In a statement published to Facebook, Scenic Rim Uniting Church Chairman Steve Moriarty thanked volunteers for giving tirelessly of their time and love and going above and beyond to secure the shop and clean up the mess left behind by the culprits.
The Beaudesert Bulletin caught up with volunteers from the Red Cross, Beaudesert Uniting, Anglican Church and Animal Welfare League op shops and found they were all overwhelmed with donations and had plenty to sell.
Red Cross Beaudesert Team Leader Deborah White said it was a great opportunity to check out the local op shops.
“There’s a big variety, as well as high and mid brand labels we’ve got all sorts of clothes here and there’s bric-a-brac, jewellery, shoes, crockery,” she said.
“We’re actually inundated all the time, but it’s always like this after Christmas because people are on holidays and have time to clean out.”
She said there were plenty of reasons to volunteer.
“We’ve had a good turnout of volunteers, but we still desperately need more. Ideally, we’d like six a day. The more on board, the quicker we get things sorted,” she said.
“For a lot of volunteers, it’s the interaction with the community. It helps build confidence, gain new skills and just to be around good company and have a good old chat.”
The Bulletin found several franchise op shops in Beaudesert receive so many donations they provide for stores in other areas, and some take excess stock from their counterparts when required. While most local op shops are taking donations again, volunteers said it was important for people to only donate quality goods suitable for resale.
Second hand is still in style
The style Susan Venz exudes as she walks down the street in downtown Beaudesert is largely due to her love of op shopping.
The thoughtful fashion enthusiast loves to wear clothes that are vintage, thrifted and from ethical designers.
Susan has a wardrobe filled with pieces which express her love of colour and movement, and many of those pieces have come from Beaudesert op shops.
“I love op shopping because I can find some amazing buys really cheaply and I love having people say to me, ‘you look amazing’ and then I can say, ‘oh great, thanks, it was $10’,” she said.
“I also like the sustainability side of it so we’re not and endless source of production, and I like that it’s a little bit cyclical.
“I also donate to op shops – I donate and I buy – and I like the idea that garments can have a life outside their life with you.”
She said op shops helped provide creative inspiration for people wanting to have fun with their wardrobe.
“it’s not just one style – you’re not going into a shop where it’s just one particular brand and there’s only their style – and because it’s op shopping and it’s quite cheap, you tend to try things that you might not try normally.
“I’ve found myself trying on things I wouldn’t necessarily go into a particular shop to try but I like it on the rack in the op shop.”
Beaudesert’s local op shops are:
- Beaudesert Red Cross Shop. 98 Brisbane Street, Beaudesert. Open Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm, Saturday 9am to midday.
- Beaudesert Uniting Op Shop.50 William Street, Beaudesert. Open Monday to Thursday 9am to 2pm. Also, Tracey’s Pantry Friday 1pm to 3pm.
- Beaudesert Anglican Church Op Shop. 7 Albert Street, Beaudesert. Open Thursday 9am to 2pm and Saturday 9am to midday.
- Beaudesert Animal Welfare League Queensland Op Shop. Shop 1, 15 William Street. Open Monday to Friday.
- Beaudesert Lifeline Shop. Opening in the first half of 2023.
