A new shopping concept for Richmond is giving people the chance to make money from old clothes and accessories they may have tucked away at home. Re:vive, which opens its doors on Queen Street in the next few days, is selling nearly-new, second-hand items with a twist – the shop only takes 50 per cent of the sale price, while the other half goes straight back to the original owner. “It’s win-win really,” says shop manager Mel Harnetty. “People can make a bit of cash from decent clothes that they no longer wear, and our customers can buy high-end labels at a fraction of the cost.”
And it’s not just about bargain-hunting either. With buzzwords ‘repair, reuse and recycle’ being heard more often these days, the shop is also playing a part in reducing what ends up in landfill. “It’s important to think about what we do with our things when we no longer need them,” says Mel.
Surrounded by four charity shops on Queen Street, Mel doesn’t think Re:vive will take anything away from them. “We are stocking labels which cost over $100 from new, and those things aren’t common in charity shops. There’s no point in selling the same stuff, so we are offering something a bit ‘extra’.”
Customers can browse through rails of branded goods for a snip of the original price. “We’ve had some great things through the door so far and we continually take in new stock.”
As well as second-hand items, Re:vive is promoting local craft too by stocking things like handmade candles and scrubs. “We want to give locals a chance at showcasing their products and offer a different type of shop in Richmond.”
To get involved, take your items along to Re:vive, located next to Taylors We Love Shoes, and Mel will do the rest. “We don’t guarantee to take everything we are offered, but we’ll look through what we are given and pick out the bits we think would work. We are after nearly new things.”
Customers get their 50 per cent share once the item sells. If it doesn’t sell after a set time, you get your item back.