05/09/2025
Hi folks
Just a little update on our shop closure. There has been much talk about why the shop is closing so, hopefully we can clarify a few things. Firstly, we love our shop and the community that has developed around it. The outpouring of support since our announcement has been so touching and we genuinely appreciate it.
As for why we are closing our doors, it really has been a difficult decision. We have worked incredibly hard over the last couple of years to support as many vulnerable people as possible in the community. When we took on the community house, we had no intention of closing the shop. We also didn't realise just how many people require the support that we can offer through the community house. We're currently feeding about 300 people per fortnight through our food pantry, offering a safe space for people who don't have a home, assisting people who are financially struggling, facilitating and organising classes that connect and strengthen community bonds. We love that we can provide this and it's a lot of work! Our staff and volunteers have been spread very thin and it's important to us to look after their needs as well as those of the community. All of our volunteers are invited to join us at the community house, and we hope they will remain with us. Our assistant manager, Lucy, will be moving across to the community house to continue assisting our team, and our lovely manager, Kit, is graduating uni this year and looking forward to a career in librarianship. Finding the right staff to run the shop isn't easy and we've been extremely lucky to have these dynamos on our team. However, replacing staff while keeping the shop financially viable, is a difficult balance. Rather than stretch ourselves beyond our limit, we have decided to focus our efforts where we can make the most difference.
Speculation regarding the reasons for closure has prompted me to emphasise that this isn't merely a financial decision. Sure, like any small business, the shop has had its ups and downs. We do have overheads that our other local op shops don't have and we have fewer volunteers. These factors do make it hard to operate in these financially difficult times, but we've been through difficult times before. More importantly, it has opened our eyes to just how many people need our support in other areas. We feel that this is the best way to support our community, while ensuring our staff and volunteers don't burn out.
Thank you for your understanding while we transition and we encourage you to continue to support the other op shops in our area who do such an amazing job of giving back to the community. And we hope to see you all at the community house at some point in the future.
Sarah Cole 🙂
