By Jodi Spunar
Published in September 2012
After many months of planning, painting, clothes sorting and tagging, The Green Door finally opened on May 23rd. In the last three months the store has seen a variety of new faces, including thrift seekers and bargain hunters, and of course, those who come to generously volunteer their time at the store. Since opening, we have received amazing support and positive feedback.
Originally, the idea for a used clothing store came from the need to make use of the piles of clothing that were being donated on a daily basis to Worth a Second Look (The Working Centre’s used furniture store). On the other hand, we also recognised that there was a need for affordable clothing in the downtown core. It was believed that The Green Door could serve both purposes: keeping clothing out of our land fills, and meeting a very real need in our community. We are aiming to not only making affordable clothing accessible with thrift store prices, but also creating a positive and welcoming space. As a result, the shop has the prices of a thrift store, yet maintains the visual appearance and atmosphere of a boutique. As well, there is always someone available to help visitors put together outfits and give second opinions!
The Green Door is open 6 days a week and is made possible by numerous committed volunteers. In the last three months we have had 35 different volunteers contributing over 550 hours of work at The Green Door! The store has become a great place for people to contribute their time, as well as practice their retail and customer service skills. Some of the jobs here at the store involve sorting and tagging clothing, helping customers navigate the store, keeping the shop clean and tidy, doing laundry, and ringing in customer purchases at the register. There is rarely a shortage of work to be done at shop, as clothes are moving quickly and the store is constantly changing!
Since the beginning, the team at The Green Door has worked really hard to create an inclusive environment where people of all ages and stages of life, could have a positive experience. To encourage this environment, we try to keep various styles of clothing in stock, and on the racks. We also stay open late on Thursday evenings for those working during the day. We are open early on Market day so shoppers can come in for a visit on their way to the Kitchener Market.
We are looking forward to the autumn, as the store will have its first major turnover of clothes. Throughout the summer, we have been stocking up all the appropriate fall items, including cozy sweaters, dress pants, back to school wear, scarves and hats, boots, and more! Make sure to always ask about the half price tag colours and any ongoing promotions. There is always something on sale! September also brings with it the opening of The Green Door Arts Space, so watch out for many new handmade items for sale in the store! We look forward to seeing you soon!
