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Charity History Shop

Every item in charity shops has a story to tell - if you knew the story, you might be more keen on buying the product
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The other day I walked into a London charity shop and browsed around. I felt a little strange looking at these clothes - some nearly new, clearly only been worn once... I saw a lovely dress but I wasn't so keen on picking up a stranger's discarded item.

The idea is to start a charity shop like these Oxfam/Red Cross shops here that rely on customer donations of good quality clothes/books etc. then sell them on to people to make money for charity.

When a customer donates an item, they write a short history about the item – perhaps it’s an interesting story about where the item was worn, and how it ended up here.

If it’s a book, the donator could tell the story of where they read it: “Read in the African bush while on a Safari holiday. Great holiday read. Not too heavy” for example… or what the book meant to them: “could really relate to the book’s hero. I am at a similar stage in my life. Wait till you get to page 133 – you won’t be able to put it down!”

If it was a dress or item of clothing they could leave a description of why it was bought, where it was worn: “I bought this dress to wear to a formal function held at the French embassy. My Father, a university professor, was honoured for his work on French culture. I bought the dress because it had a stylish, French feel to it. I had a fantastic evening at the Embassy, and was proud to see my father honoured. I’m donating it because I haven’t worn it since, and to be honest, it’s just not my style – I’m a jeans and T-shirt kind of a girl”.

I’m sure you get the idea, but the point is each item is no longer some stranger’s discarded junk – it’s an item that meant something to them, it has a history, it’s like an antique, it’s lived a previous life.

Flux, May 09 2007

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       "Grandma died, we had to get rid of her crap and dumpsters (UK: skips) cost money."
Galbinus_Caeli, May 09 2007
  

       "I lost my virginity while wearing this"
hippo, May 09 2007
  

       "I used to scoop up Fido's poop with this"
skinflaps, May 09 2007
  

       "Caught spouse cheating in this. Recommend soaking in cold water."
Galbinus_Caeli, May 09 2007
  

       Do I get an additional tax deduction if the items I donate have stories?
phundug, May 09 2007
  

       This sounds like it would be interesting. Not very profitable perhaps, but interesting.
lurgic2, May 22 2007
  
      
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