Our beloved thrift boutique is simply the greatest. Dedicated staff and 100 volunteers sort and display a wide range of quality clothing, accessories, housewares, toys, books, games and more, all at affordable prices.
This Earth Week is a great time to spotlight another, lesser-known aspect of what happens at Vicky’s Values, namely, its success in reducing the amount of material that goes to landfill. When our generous community donates gently used clothing and other items for Vicky’s to sell, it extends their life. Instead of being thrown away, they can be bought at a low price and used for years to come.
The WRummage Room is an especially good example. Everything there—clothing for all genders and ages as well as shoes and purses—is priced at just 50 cents per item. “They’re maybe not to the same high standard as our regular clothes, but they still have life in them,” says Kelly Stockdale, the store’s operations supervisor. With fabric, like everything else, becoming more expensive, she encourages customers to think of the WRummage Room as a source of material for sewing and craft projects.
That was the starting point for the recent upcycling competition Vicky’s hosted. The goal was “to inspire the community to think differently,” Kelly says. The 17 entrants each chose five items from the WRummage Room for free, to turn into whatever they wanted. The creative results ranged from handbags to dresses, a wall hanging, hoodies, jackets and more. One participant even cut old clothes into strips that they then used to crochet baskets. “The talent that’s in this community is amazing!” Kelly says.
The WRummage Room is also a source of inexpensive clothing at a time when money is tight for so many people. “Since we turned it into a 50-cent room, we’ve been selling an average of 100 pieces a day,” Kelly says. “It’s not that it’s a huge moneymaker. It’s about building community, getting people what they need and helping the planet.”
And because Vicky’s is such a popular destination for all kinds of people, there’s no stigma to shopping there. That makes it even more attractive for those who need to stretch their dollar as far as possible. “I think we make life affordable for them. We remove some of those barriers,” Kelly says.
Not that long ago, people bought fewer clothes and mended them to make them last as long as possible. Now, many of us buy huge amounts of cheap clothing that we throw away when it inevitably starts to degrade after just a few wearings. The sheer volume of donations to Vicky’s and other local thrift stores is testament to our addiction to buying far more than we need, or than the planet can sustain.
It’s no surprise thrifting is exploding in popularity among people who are concerned about the environment. They can feel good about buying second-hand at Vicky’s; they’re getting great bargains and keeping usable items from going to the dump, all while contributing directly to funding the essential programs and services Women’s Resources provides. Specials are posted on Vicky’s Facebook Page regularly.
To mark Earth Day on April 22, Vicky’s planned a neighbourhood garbage cleanup—just another example of its commitment to people and planet. “We’re not going to change the world, but we can change our community,” Kelly says.
Vicky’s Values is located at 50 Mary St. W. in Lindsay. You can drop off donations Tuesday through Saturday between 10:00 and 2:00. Vicky’s is open for shopping Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 to 4:00. It’s closed Sundays and Mondays, and on the Saturdays of all long weekends. For more information, call 705-878-5938
By Nancy Payne
