And so it came to pass that I ended up with whatever nasty germ is going around town at the moment, and it rendered me in bed for a few days. A few miserable days may I add. I couldn't even cheer myself up with a little local thrift due to the inability to sit up for long, and browsing the internet for goodies just exacerbated my pounding headache. So I was pretty happy that after a brief return to work, I was able to get out and about on my first day off and visit my little local which resides in Myaree.
Sometimes all I need is a little op shop visit to soothe my soul and I seem to forget that Myaree is now literally a five minute drive away. You see, when I was growing up, Myaree always seemed to be so far away - I grew up in Wanneroo which was classified as "rural" back in those days! So it's here that I've found solace in the little Save The Children op shop on many an occasion.
This particular op shop is really lovely. It's not huge but I've always come away with something - whether it be a couple of books, the odd vintage blouse or as is the case in this trip; a Tokito cardigan ($10), vintage Stylo cardigan ($6), vintage clutch ($6), Nallyware retro biscuit box ($2), Peter Rabbit dinner set ($4) and a kids book entitled "Moppy Is Happy" ($2) for my lovely friend AJ, whose fur baby Koda, is also affectionately known by the same name.
What I always notice with this op shop is that it is always neat and tidy. And while I'm happy to rummage around, this op shop is always in order. The window displays lure you in, as well as the indoor displays too. I would think that some thought is really put into keeping this place in great presentation mode. In fact my trip before this one saw me witness some of the vollies setting up their displays... although I didn't see it get finished as the ladies were too busy having fun trying on the new wares!
So, as far as clothing is concerned, it's not massively stocked. But there is a good selection to choose from including a new small Retro section (new to me anyways) and a "Big Is Beautiful" section for those of us who need a little more room to move. And the selection is a mixture of all types - therefore catering to a wide range. You'll find your Millers & Wombat here mixed with your Jeans West & Sussans and then you'll even find some Charlie Brown, Cue and Veronika Maine. As I said, a little of something for everyone.
As far as the shoes are concerned, whilst there is a collection to go through, I've not really seen anything as of yet that has grabbed me. In fact, I did spot a couple of pairs that I had seen on my last two trips... And so that brings me to my;
Op Shop Rule No 12 - Stay Fresh!
When I fall in love with an op shop, I fall hard (hey I'm a Scorpio, we're passionate people!). And that sometimes means I end up frequenting it too regularly (is there such thing as an op shop stalker?), so much so that I do sometimes find my eyes casting themselves over the same stock - which can lead to a disappointing thrifting day. And this is not because the op shop has done anything wrong, its simply because I am too eager! I've done that with several stores, like the little Red Cross store across the road from my work, so I've learned to take a breather. To spread my love elsewhere for a spell (hey it's the point of the blog right?!) and then return to the old faithfuls.
So my suggestion is that to save any disappointment, let your locals have the chance to re-stock. Believe me, it works!
One thing I am super keen on at this store, is it's book collection. In fact, I've noticed that most Save the Children op shop's do their book collection well. And Myaree is no exception. The left hand wall of the store is corner to corner with all sorts of books. I've been really impressed with their vintage/collectable section too; poetry, classics, penguins etc and I've come away with some really great little titles from here.
All bases are covered from fiction to self help, australiana to cooking etc. So I truely believe if you are an eager book hunter like myself, you'll enjoy this section the most. Can't say that I've spotted any '50 Shades Of Grey' yet though... .
The other section that is really quite spectacular, is the craft area. This particular op shop has utilised some old wooden filing cabinets and turned them into craft drawers - so whatever sort of craft stuff you are after, it's all there, catalogued for your convenience. I have had a really good rifle through these however I'm not blessed with much creativity in this area, so for me it really is a browse - but it's really enjoyable. There is also a small but reasonable selection of haberdashery, cushions, quilts etc too.
Men, you aren't forgotten either at this store, there is a small selection of clothes for you - in particular I note a good choice of jeans/slacks/courdroys etc. And the other people not forgotten are the youngin's. I think the best catered for age group is probably toddlers up to tweens. I've picked out a few numbers for my 10 year old niece on many an occasion including Esprit jeans for $3. There's a few baskets of baby clothes to fossick around in too.
This store has a simple selection of bric-a-brac, nothing really collectable of note however. The window displays do sometimes feature more of the higher end stuff, but in general, I find the bric-a-brac to be everyday use type stuff. This is where I found my delightful biscuit container which I was informed only just hit the shelves that morning!
So having followed my own rule of not exhausting this little op shop too much, this visit post-flu really lived up to my expectations. And coming away with only a $29 hole in my pocket was even better. Oh, while I'm on that subject, there is a $10 minimum to use eftpos at this store - but hey, I can guarantee you'll have no problem in reaching that amount at this place, and if you do - just give me a yell, I'll meet you there in five!
K xx
Shop For: Books, Kids/Teens, Craft
Try Elsewhere: Shoes
Save The Children Op Shop
Unit 9, 67 McCoy Street
Open: Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm / Sat: 9am-1pm
www.savethechildren.org.au
BOOKS WANTED!
Save The Children are after second hand books, cd's, dvd's and sheet music for their upcoming South of the River branch book sale. See the flyer for further details!
