Australian Red Cross Op Shop, Watsonia

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Posted 2014-02-01 by Jeni Wilson ⇒ follow

The sign on the Red Cross Op Shop window was an eye catcher; it said 'All clothes under $5'. I didn't really have a good look at the clothes because I was (easily) distracted by the range of new shoes. It must have been my lucky day because there was a 30% off sale. I was able to find five pairs (some brand new) for the grand total of $16. I don't think you could do much better than that!

I felt like a queen in her parlour at the Red Cross Op Shop. I was offered an ottoman to sit while perusing and trying on the shoes.

This op shop is the first to Watsonia. It's been in operation for 18 years. There are now three op shops in Watsonia. I asked how this small suburb could sustain three op shops and the staff member explained that they all stock different products. The Red Cross shop has lots of new gear such as run out stock from factories and manufacturers. For example, their bags and shoes are often new.

The other thing that stands out is their staff; I would agree with that. They have about 20 regular volunteers who are aged between 50-80.

I noticed a sign in the shop calling for volunteers. The picture showed a young male in their twenties. That's not the usual staff age. Maybe they are trying to attract younger blood.

The other thing that was a bit different to other op shops was that the store is so incredibly neat. I would say it's the neatest, best laid out op shop I have ever seen.

The staff member also told me that a lot of people drop off clothes they have cleaned out over summer and buy some cheap garments. The most frequently bought items are ladies tops. She said they don't mind throwing them out or trading them in for new ones next year.

I like the foraging around to find a bargain but the way this store is organised it's very easy to have a quick look around. That was lucky because I only had a few minutes before going out for lunch at Syrup's café around the corner. Both well worth a giving a go.