I hate covering shop launches etc that I haven't actually been to myself as I can't actually put a genuine bit of opinion in as what is portrayed in pics can often be a bit of a fallacy. I'm making exception for a few posts seeing as last week, when a LOT was going on, I was in my plastic box under the orange glow of Earl's Court 2 (FYI…. most unflattering light ever…). I said a few weeks ago that there were a few stirrings at Oxfam, not in the poshie Notting Hill-direction but more towards a DIY ethos at the Camden Town store. Well, the store has been given a complete revamp by stylist Mrs Jones, with a mini fashion show opening party to boot and it's looking much like an styled up vintage store. Reminder to non-Brits, Oxfam is supposed to be a thrift/charity store and this is a set-up that they plan on rolling out beyond London. It also comes rather conveniently timed with all this Mary Portas: Queen of Charity Shops hoo-ha on BBC and her Grazia/Westfield charity shop that is selling Mulberry and Stella McCartney (not fussed about this enough to go all the way out West… but report back if you have been…). The idea that charity shops need to be restructed, made-over, glossed up to entice a mainstream audience of shoppers is something I'm a little ambivalent about and so cue shouting very violently at Ms. Portas when watching the show. Whilst I don't object to store make-overs that results in a prettier shopping environment, I feel like shoving charity shopping down people's throats, people who were never into charity shops in the first place, does somewhat kill the joy of thrifting through piles of crap for those that never minded awful 70s' shopfits and smelly carpet. IS spending ¬£¬£¬£ making shops look boutique-like or an upmarket market when the money could have gone towards um…charity, going to actually shift profits sky high to benefit the charities? I don't know and I'm stupidly skeptical. It's a question better suited to Imran of BoF perhaps but not me….
Still, Oxfam have done no bad thing by giving the walls a lick of paint and buying a few nick nacks to spruce the place up given that it is ONE store out of their many many stores, and as I've yet to venture in to check out the wares to see whether the pricing has been Portas-ified ("people will pay more if the quality is there"…she justifies…), I can't comment yet as to whether charity shop makeovers are the bee's knees…
The most I can muster up is err… "Nice display cabinets…!"
that is a huge make-over! But can’t decide if I like it…. I like smelly charity shops which are brown, dark and run by 2 old ladies or something.
too bad I don’t live in camden anymore to go and check it out, and have a proper look.
WOW
Doesn’t look like any charity shop I’ve been to everrrr
Sort of defies the point of charity shopping if it looks all new and shiny
But still looks amazinggg
The shop really does look fab! I may have to pay them a visit tomorrow – will be sure to be back home in time to develop some more disdain for The Portas! :O
Miggy.x
Goodwill is doing similar things here in the states: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/fashion/11goodwill.html?hpw
I actually think the other point of charity shops being missed with these makeovers and introduction of designer pieces is that alot of people shop there because they can’t afford to shop elsewhere, and I suspect the prices are hiked up to pay for these makeovers. It’s not all hip vintage adorned folk that shop there.
I think the people they are aiming to lure in are those that shop vintage or off ebay but see charity shops as just selling smelly old rubbish. I love the rummage, working and shopping in oxfam I have come across quite a few designer pieces surrounded by old primark t-shirts, and that makes it even more satisfying.
Hmm… i’m not to sure whether it kind of defies the point of charity shops, being all new and eveything.
But it does look great! I’m sure it’ll attract some more shoppers now.
I would love to shop there, if it were some sort of boutique, or something of that ilk. Thrift stores, in my opinion, shouldn’t be fancy. Part of the fun is sorting through the mess, to pull up a treasure. Making it feel like everything there should be awesome takes away the fun!
DJM: It remains to be seen whether the prices have indeed been hiked up as I haven’t been there myself to verify this…. supposedly they haven’t but then again, how does one measure the standards…as it is in London, prices of charity shop goods have been creeping up steadily in recent years anyhow… the ones in Camden have never been dirt dirt cheap…. knowing my terrible way with numbes, I’ll probably not be able to discern whether prices have gone up or not!
but now that this store has had it’s makeover do you think the quality of donations they receive will improve?
Whilst watching Mary’s show I couldn’t believe the kind of crap people were ‘donating’!
the more money they make for charity the better.
^Good question, V…. I don’t know… will people’s attitudes change just because a shop interior has changed? They might be a bit embarrased about donating say a pair of knickers with a sanitary towel still in it to a shop that is basically a vintage emporium…
I’m glad I’m not the only one who has mixed feelings about charity shop makeovers/price hikes as shown on Mary Portas’ show. I can understand the need to boost profits for charity, but I like the rummaging and inexpensive prices! But, I suppose it’s not the folks like me who they are trying to entice into the shop. All the same, I am a little dubious…
I’ve been in – The prices of most things are a little more than the average charity shop, but not too much more. I haven’t been to enough shops down here to compare, really. But they did have a rail of clothes which had been reinvented from vintage and these were pretty expenisive, although I guess they were one of a kind…
I’d love to go a boutique as pretty as this, but I feel it is completely pointless andunnecessary to gussy up thrift shops like this! People who like thrifting are going to go no matter what the conditions are like!
When I was a kid my parents relied on charity shops, we were well dressed but on a budget! I grew up finding gems that my friends wanted and I’d only paid a pittance. Now I give good quality clothes to charity shops as a sort of payback as I’m sure there are still many that rely heavily on them. I hate to find a pricey ‘vintage’ section in a charity shop, it spoils the fun of searching out a hidden gem. Saying that though, you will always have the people that dump their unwanted crap on charity shops. They should be ashamed!
They’ve done the shop up quite well, it looks inviting. I’m already having an urge to go through the racks
This looks a lot like a charity shop I’ve been to where everything is really pricey. I don’t get the point of that. Are only those who are well off allowed to thrift for charity? I thought the point was providing used goods at a fair price, and then giving the proceeds to charity.
It’s all shiny and new and not very charity shoppy. I understand that they need customers and people need to make good quality donations but is Barbie-fying the shops really the answer?
I can’t watch the Mary Portas show; the way she speaks to the volunteers is completely demeaning, these are people who have freely given their time for years.
I am not generally a fan of gussied-up charity shops; there are A LOT in Manhattan. Vintage is a whole different story, but thats not to say that a cheap early 90’s high-necked cotton sundress is worth $45.
Wow, nothing like the U.S. versions of charity shops, it looks cool, but how much of the money they used to do that got taken out of the charity money? You’re right, it does make you wonder.
The shop looks great and i feel its a great way to attract new and more customers…more younger customers also! So hey, maybe it can be seen as an investment!
http://strangeflowerdiary.blogspot.com
I can’t make my mind up! I brought up the ‘charity shops are meant to be cheap’ protest in an interview with one of the Cheap Date editors (Kira Joliffe?) years ago and she was adamant that charity shops aren’t for poor people to shop in but to raise as much money as poss for the charity. Which I get but it remains to be seen if this tactic will work. I do love Mary Queen of Charity Shops though, esp poor Graham!
It looks great but my favourite part of op-shopping is all the rummaging through crap to find a $3 bargain!
Oxfam had a thing going for few years now, oxfam premium or something, they had a shop just off King’s Road and one in ROCHESTER of all places (the mind boggles) with select and YES pricier stuffs. If it generates more money for charity, well…. great. I do prefer the normal kind where you MIGHT find good stuff cheap, but more likely not. As for Mary P. that program is bulls..t. She spurcing that shop up in ORPINGTON???? Hoping to sell designer stuff, to people who don’t DO designer, and upsetting the dear old ladies working there. GRRRR…..
It´s a nice redo. But i totally agree on yr opinion bout people that never been into thrift stores, but suddenly are, take the joy out of it these days.
Charity shops provide a service that goes far beyond mere fundraising- they have undoubtedly provided affordable clothing for genuinely hard-up families-(I suspect Kira Joliffe does not fit into this group!)- they form an integral part of the clothing/textiles recycling industry, providing the main drop-off point for discarded clothing- something which has become ever more important in this age of disposable fashion; they provide a meaningful occupation & point of social contact for many OAPs, disabled people and other disadvantged groups as well as from my own point of view an exciting and fun shopping experience where thorough rummaging can be rewarded with fantastic finds. Long live cluttered, slightly smelly charity shops run by brilliant old ladies!
I am slightly worried about the concept of charity shops going main stream. It might mean that all the good stuff will be gone before I get there and also there will not be any amazing bargains – but that is just me being selfish.
I was quite excited to hear about the Oxfam DIY shop. I thought it might have some good refashioned pieces. Unfortunately, I am far happier sat in front of my computer than getting all the way to London so haven’t visited. I think there will be some stuff online tommorrow though.
After watching Queen of Charity Shops, i’ve grown to dislike Mary P more and more. When she was doing Queen of Shops she was okay because these people needed help and it was their shop and they asked for it. BUT these poor old ladies who volunteer at the charity shop that she’s making over don’t seem to want her help. What’s more, she can be extremely rude to them. She’s somewhat arrogant in her approach and keeps calling it “my charity shop” um, it’s not yours. And spending ¬£15,000 on redoing one charity shop when that money could have gone to the charity was just ridiculous. /rant over.
i completely get what you’re saying, i know it looks nice and pretty but then again I can understand why those elderly ladies on Mary queen of charity shop are a bit reluctant to all the revamping. However when im in London I reckon I’ll have to go and have a look out of curiousity.
For full disclaimer, I am a big Mary Portas fan
BUT I still believe all these people who would prefer to have grotty old shops because they enjoy rummaging through them, as opposed to smarter shops that turn in much more money for the charity in question, are kind of missing the point – charity shops are there to raise as much money as possible for good causes, not to provide people with this sort of quaint, enjoyable rummaging experience.
It seems a bit odd that some people would prefer the charity got less money just to preserve the old style of shopping they enjoyed. I’m not convinced that’s the best social outcome (less ¬£ for charity, but a few happy rummagers)
http://hapsical.blogspot.com
I popped in to the shop the other day, it’s pretty nice the prices have also stayed much the same. They’ve been more selective with the items going out but I couldn’t help but think that they’ll loose lots of their old customers. Maybe it was just because it was Camden that they were playing 60’s brit music, could be all a bit try hard…?