Most people love a bargain and that’s what you’ll find when you go op-shopping, whether it is clothing, accessories, furniture, or other good you are after. And sometimes you don’t even know what you need until you see it!
Shopping at op-shops serves several purposes. It is environmentally friendly because you save those goods from ending up in land-fill somewhere; what you pay for the goods goes to charity; you are saving yourself money, and by recycling clothes you save on the production of even more clothing that may have cost the environment something in lost resources.
And another good thing; when you get home, try on the clothes you bought and find you hate them after all, then you haven’t lost more than the price of a cup of coffee, so who’s worried? So go and have a great, guilt free time op-shopping and see what gems you can find.
There are many thrift stores and op-shops around. Lifeline, the Salvos and St Vinnies have them all over the place. Lifeline on Ann, in Ann St Fortitude Valley is just one, but there are many more in all suburbs and in Paddington and the West End.
Not all op-shops are vintage specialists, of course. While you can usually find a bargain or three in most op-shops, there are specialist vintage shops that are more likely to keep things of yesteryear that are of more value. Endo’s in Paddington is one of these vintage specialists.
If you are anywhere near Beenleigh you cold drop in on Alpha Pre-loved and Export Clothing, while the Annerley Road New and Preloved Clothing shop in Woolloongabba also is worthy of attention. Sandgate is blessed with Penny’s New and Preloved Clothing and East Brisbane has the Community Centre Thrift Shop where there are many bargains in the way of books and home-wares as well as clothing.
The Citipointe West Op shop in Rosemary Street, Inala is also a treasure trove of goods including electrical, office goods, bedding and kitchenware. Just as you can find tiny boutiques selling unique clothing in the most surprising places, so you are likely to find a small op-shop hidden around a corner on your travels. It could be one that is dedicated to saving animals, or a church op-shop held in the church hall once a month.
These are especially good places to come across wonderful bargains such as dainty floral dinner sets that are from another era, or marvellous old photo frames that would cost the earth to get made these days. So go and hunt for that bargain and save your budget while you do the planet a good turn.