I like charity shops, they raise vital funds for research, palliative care and more
I like charities. They provide much needed services that the public sector can't or won't.
I love vintage. It's green, makes you look unique and I make some money from it.
Just to set the scene I thought I'd write the above.
What I'm not so keen on is charity shops pretending that they're vintage shops by jumping on the selling vintage bandwagon. I was in rePsycho on Gloucester Road the other week talking to the very elegant and glamorous Diane and checking out the latest offerings from Tim and Andy.
Diane was telling me how a newly opened charity shop just up the road had been slagging vintage shops off by stating that they were cheaper. This irked me as well.
There are some very good reasons why there is a price difference between charity shops selling vintage and vintage shops.
Charity shops pay reduced rents and business rates.
Charity shops are staffed by volunteers.
Charity shops don't have to pay for their stock.
Vintage shops pay commercial rates and rent, have to pay for staff and have to pay for their stock.
Plus vintage shops are staffed by people who know what they're talking about in terms of designers, era's, how to care for vintage pieces and much more. We know what we're talking about. Charity shops won't get that much vintage given to them either.
So there I was; a little cross with charity shops whilst being aware that they do such good work and have to raise funds.
Hmmmm.