The St Vincent de Paul Society opened their first Victorian op shop in Ascot Vale in 1926, and it was named "The Waste Product Bureau".
They didn't open a second one until 1962 - perhaps the name didn't lend itself to vast patronage.
Our modern-day Vinnies aren't officially called op shops, but "Vinnies Centres of Charity".
Vinnies has one employee whose full-time job is to drive around all of 102 Vinnies in the state, checking the volunteers are happy, do a spot of shopping, and eat her body weight in home-made scones every week. Nope, that's not me.
I've just had an induction day at work. The community housing agency I work for reports to the St Vincent de Paul Society, and the induction is run for community service employees, home visitations coordinators, op shop managers (sorry, "Vinnies Centres of Charity managers") and everyone in between. I met the manager of my soon-to-be-local Vinnies, and she knows the people who live across the street from our new house! Small world! My local also happens to be the second largest Vinnies in the state, and the largest in metro Melbourne.
The highlight of the day, even better than the history of Vinnies op shops, was a coach trip to Vinnies Ringwood. As well as finding a bunch of hardware for the curtains I'm sewing I also picked up these little indulgences.
A lovely coffee pot which I think I'll keep on my work desk
A swish pair of pink knitting needles
And the cutest little scotty dog embroidery which I think I'll sew onto a dress for Amy or something
And that's what it takes to get me back on the Blogtoberfest wagon - a paid afternoon of op shopping.
2 comments:
oh, wow, great job! Well, great to paid to op shop! My fave is prob the warehouse shop in Altona North, very cheap. Is your local one Epping? Def coming to check it out. And don't you love the Glenroy shop with the section devoted to furniture?
I love trivia like this. My Mum used to be a big op shopper and I lost her nearly 5 years ago. It's only since the middle of the year when my 13 year old niece came to Melbourne have I been able to go in to them again.
I love the doily. I have been recently collecting a few. Better come up with a project.
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