Yes, it’s true – Vinnies Canberra/Goulburn will open its first inner-city store in the beating heart of Braddon on Lonsdale Street in late September.

Vinnies Braddon will be the charity’s 28th store to operate in the ACT region, and its first venture into the Canberra CBD.

It will be open seven days a week, and will have late night hours on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in line with the popular Vinnies Dickson store.

The flagship shop plans to be a “thrifter’s paradise, tapping into local demand for vintage fashion, particularly among Millennials and Gen Z”.

“There will be more colour in the shop than a gigantic box of skittles and with bargains just as sweet,” said Isla Smith, Retail Development Manager at Vinnies Canberra/Goulburn.

“Our plans include more than a hundred racks bursting with every thrifter’s dreams including men’s and women’s clothing, garments for children and babies, Manchester, bedding, home décor and more.

“And then there’s what we can fit on the gazillion wall shelves we have planned – bric-a-brac, curios, collectables, antiques, ornaments, gizmos, thingamabobs, knick-knacks – you get the drift.”

Temporary signage is currently posted at 3 Lonsdale Street, near Tipsy Bull and the Braddon 7-Eleven.

Designed in-house from scratch, the fit out of the 600sqm floorplan will be themed around a “sustainable future” and decorated with reclaimed roof sheeting and bespoke fittings to match the hip culture of the local surrounds.

Canberra Daily spoke with Director of Commercial Operations Lindsay Rae to answer the burning question that is sure to be on everybody’s lips. With the purported focus on “vintage,” combined with inner-city inflation, will the new Braddon store come with equally flashy price tags? 

“We will have a range of prices in the shop – everything from children’s wear at $1 to high-end designer brands and vintage items,” said Mr Rae.

“What we can guarantee is Vinnies Braddon will keep to the level of pricing as all of our shops. We try our best and always research.”

According to Mr Rae, plans to open an inner-city store have been in the making for half a decade. “We have wanted a presence in the inner city for quite some time. There is a great need for support services in the area,” he said.

“We have tried for the past five years to find a suitable location for a shop to help fund those services.”

The money raised through Vinnies op shops directly funds their community programs and services, such as the Night Patrol Van.

With doors set to open in a couple of months, Mr Rae said a few things will set Vinnies Braddon apart from other stores, including recycling stations for old mobile phones and spectacles.

“We are going to continue doing what we do best but take it to a new level in Braddon,” he said.

“Everyone is welcome at all our shops, and we truly want them to enjoy the experience … We will have a nook for mums, dads, and their little ones. We’re calling it Cutie-Pie Corner.

“There will be some really creative and fun design collaboration with local artists … but we have to save some of the surprises for our big reveal day,” smiled Mr Rae.

As shop manager of Vinnies Dickson, Julie Bartley is set to become the inaugural Vinnies Braddon shop manager and is reportedly excited to beautify the new location; similarly quirky interiors may be in store.

From tomorrow, Thursday 13 July, Vinnies Braddon will be looking for volunteers to help with the setup and launch.

“Whether you’re a die-hard thrifter, eco-lover or someone who loves the warm fuzzies you get from meeting new people and helping others,” said Ms Smith, “you can see how the Vinnies magic happens when you are volunteering with us.”

Follow the Vinnies Braddon journey on Instagram. To learn more about volunteering at Vinnies Braddon email [email protected] or visit the website.

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