Thrift store puts focus on local

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This article was published 18/02/2018 (2256 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A new thrift store is set to open its doors in Steinbach next month, and those who will run the store say everything they do will be about making the Southeast community a better place for local residents.

The new Local Matters Thrift Store is expected to open on March 1, and is already accepting donations at their building on Acres Drive.

Chris Giesbrecht, who has been hired to manage the new store, said he has heard from many local residents over the last few years that Manitoba thrift stores are becoming less and less affordable, and they hope to offer items at costs that are affordable for all residents despite their economic situation.

“We’ve been listening to people, and we are learning that for people with economic barriers it is getting harder and harder to be able to purchase items even at thrift stores these days,” Giesbrecht said.

“We want to go back in time to where people could shop at a thrift store no matter their needs and their economic situation.”

He added that the store will be purely not-for-profit, as he will be the only paid employee, and all profits will be donated to local charities and not-for-profits.

“Everything will go to different charities,” Giesbrecht said. “We want everything going back into the community.”

“The reason we are calling it Local Matters is because we believe local issues matter, local people matter, and local poverty matters. All of the money we are raising with this thrift store will be staying in the Southeast community.”

According to Giesbrecht the store also plans to charge based on the quality of items they are selling, rather than if items are designer or brand names.

“It’s going to be based on make and not on brand, and we’re not going to charge more simply because something is a brand name,” he said.

“If we have a generic brand and a name brand but they are the same quality and wear they are going to be the same price.”

According to Giesbrecht, the current priority is to collect donations as they move towards their March 1 opening.

Anyone looking to make a donation can drop off clothing, housewares, tools, and other items at 121 Acres Drive.