Urban Canberrans no longer have to travel to snap up a fashion bargain with the very first inner-city Vinnies set to open its doors tomorrow, Friday 24 November.

The news that the store was opening captured attention back in July with shoppers keen to have a more centralised op-shopping choice.

The Braddon store on Lonsdale Street is the 28th store in the Vinnies Canberra/Goulburn network and promises to be a thrifter’s paradise, tapping into the high demand for vintage fashion in the region.

A flagship store, it is big, bright and full of colour. From inception to completion, it has been entirely designed in-house and decorated with reclaimed roof sheeting, bespoke fixtures and fittings to showcase the beauty of a circular economy. 

“One of the key creative minds behind the vibrant new shop is Isla Smith, our extraordinarily talented Retail Development Manager. Isla had a very clear vision for the space from the very beginning, which was focused on capturing the dynamic personality of Braddon and the result is unlike any of our current shops,” says Lindsay Rae, Director Commercial Operations, Vinnies Canberra/Goulburn.

Even the outside of the store is vibrant, grabbing the attention of any passerby with local mural artists from Graffik Paint Collective creating work especially for the space.

“We wanted to represent the experience of walking into a Vinnies and the explosion of colour,” says Geoff Filmer, Director of Graffik Paint Collective.

“We went for a hand-drawn feel to make it more personal, less corporate,” says Raiff Taib, artist at Graffik Paint Collective.

Working closely with the Vinnies team, the vision was a collaborative one, the artists keen to capture the essence of what this store will be to the local community.

“The aim of this Vinnies is to not only create income to support the needy people in our community, but it is to make a community hub/centre,” says Mr Filmer.

Vinnies Braddon is set to be open for the keen shopper seven days a week, staying open for after-work bargain hunting on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.

Find out more about Vinnies locations and the work they do online at vinnies.org.au/act-surrounds

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