This article is from Sydney WeekendNotes for Thursday the 18th of June 2009

If you wander around most Sydney suburbs you will soon come across at least one Op-Shop, also referred to as thrift or charity shops. With finances as tight as they are at the moment and predicted to continue this way for a while, it may be worth popping into your local one for a look. Bargain shoppers and treasure hunters will love them!

Op-shops can be a good source of ‘treasure’, although everyone obviously has a different idea of what a ‘treasure’ is. They are great places for cheap books and magazines. Collectors of all kinds regularly scour the stores for antiques, quality retro furniture and collectibles. Vintage clothing and anything suitable for a themed or costume party are all the rage at the moment. But you need to be quick for the bargains.

Best of all, it is great to know that unwanted books, furniture, appliances or clothing can go to someone who needs them and not into landfill. Charity op-shop operators now promote themselves as urban recyclers collecting and re-selling what amounts to large quantities of unwanted goods each week.

Most charities have websites that list locations. The Salvos Stores (Salvation Army) now promote their shops with the motto Fashion with a Conscience, a website with fashion tips and advice from leading designers. Vinnies (St Vincent de Paul) have stores in most suburbs. Barnardos Australia has just opened their first retail outlet in PIttwater Road, Brookvale. Keep an eye on the Lifeline website for information on their regular Book Fairs. Red Cross also has a scattering of stores around Sydney.