ROSA Second Time Around Thrift Store in Virden is officially open as of June 6, with Valerie (Val) Smith the owner/operator of the new outlet for the ultimate in re-cycling and economy.
Smith was previously manager of ACL’s New To You store on Nelson Street found herself out of a job one Friday when the store was suddenly closed several months ago.
The New To You store building on downtown Nelson Street had some water issues, and seemed to be the worse for the wear after the Town of Virden had a derelict building next door torn down.
When Shelly Savy, Executive Director of Association for Community Living, (ACL) made a decision to close New To You, a notice ran in the paper, and signs went up on the front and back of the store building advising patrons the store would be closed until further notice; also directing donors not to leave items outside the store as bags and boxes of donated items would be considered garbage.
People began calling Smith, asking her what they could do with their donations.
“I had so many phone calls after she closed the store, people wanting to know when it was going to open up,” says Smith, explaining she knew the store had been filling a need, and with no definitive answer regarding re-opening Smith says, “I just decided to go on my own.”
It was a practical decision for her. “I needed to have some sort of an income coming in too.”
Smith and her partner Barry Stewart went right to work collecting items to become the inventory in her new store. One of their first stops was to pick up unsold items from St. Paul’s United Church rummage sale; the Anglican Church also donated their unsold items from their rummage sale.
Smith doesn’t get bogged down with things she cannot sell; she has connections – others who take her extras for charity purposes.
ROSA Second Time Around is located in downtown Virden in the previous location of a window and door store on Queen Street near Seventh Avenue. After several attempts to find a business name acceptable to both the province and to meet federal licensing, the name ROSA (initials from family members’ names) took centre stage.
Since she undertook this project, Smith describes her days as busy. “It’s been good, it’s been busy. Donations have been overwhelming, coming in here.”
Her landlord, Malcolm Scott fixed-up the space for the second-hand store, moving some overhead lighting, painting floor, ceiling and walls; two fitting rooms have been added to the space.
Smith looks forward to being able to hire her own daughter, and perhaps some others who are in the Kelchris or ACL program.
Unpacking, sorting and assembling items for display, as well as pricing them is a big job. Smith is appreciative of the help from many of the volunteers – those who also put in many hours at the previous thrift store; as well, some new friends have come along side to help.
There’s a ton of kid’s clothes neatly hung up, adult items, a few house wares, bedding, etc. – a wide assortment, but nicely laid out, with shelving that some have donated as well. The inner office area is tastefully filled with interesting furniture, design items, modern and collector dishes.
Displaying furniture as well as a wide variety of other used items requires space. It’s All Good used store opened late in 2016. ROSA Second Time Around is now Virden’s second such store, filling a niche market.
Val Smith also plans to continue the charity that New To You was able to extend when people found themselves in difficult circumstances.
