What Makes a Great Op Shop?

One word: clutter!

The big 'chains' - St Vinnie's particularly - made the misguided decision some years ago to go upmarket to try to compete with retailers of new goods. They reject many donations as not being up-to-standard. Bad Move.

I don't expect an op shop to look like Myers; I expect it to look like Aladdin's cave. I walk into Endo's at Stafford, a vast shop, well stocked, with plenty of light and air, and somehow during my last few visits I haven't been able to find anything I want to buy there.

This is part of the RSPCA Shop at New Farm: crowded, cramped, loaded with possibilites.

And look what I found almost as soon as I walked in the door.

Sorry it's a bit unclear but it is all of 11cm across at the widest point of the tray.

Did I need it? No.
Did I want it? Oh, yes.
Did the charity benefit? Sure did.               


Now we are rapidly approaching the point of this blog, namely The Great Op Shop Road Trip.  The premise is this: We start out with the clothes we are standing up in, a change of underwear, a toiletries bag, and off we go. We must outfit ourselves completely from op shops we explore along the way.  Departure date is Wednesday April 2, and planned destination is Yeppoon.  Stay tuned...

In the meantime, I present another photo from the old family albums. Here I am as the carryover champion on the short-lived Australian version of the quiz show Jeopardy, with my op shop shirt and Tony Barber.