Hospice Shops

Shopping in Hospice Shops can open a real treasure trove. Did you know North Shore Hospice has seven retail stores on the Shore? There are bargains galore particularly if you are looking for something different. The shops have everything from ball gowns to wedding dresses, furs to hats, and a wide variety of street clothes for children and adults. Teenagers parties are catered for with ‘fancy dress ' available. There are also heaps of toys to stock up play boxes for children and plenty of books and magazines for young and old.

Bric-a-brac is a favourite with all customers and many people spend hours sifting through our many treasures.

Customers also find bargains in the stores which stock furniture, sporting equipment and tools -deliveries can be arranged for a nominal fee.

The growth and development of our stores has been staggering and has only been possible because over 200 volunteers including the managers, give their dedicated caring time willingly. The managers spend many long hours with their teams, cleaning, sorting and pricing the thousands of items donated to hospice on a regular basis.

Hospice volunteers will welcome you at their shops.

The following shops specialise in clothing, jewellery, bric-a-brac, books, small tools and sporting gear:

In addition to the above items Browns Bay and Wairau Park have indoor and outdoor furniture and electrical goods.

If you are not a "shopaholic" maybe you would like to help by donating good second hand or new goods particularly furniture. Our Warehouse is keen to have quality furniture. Please deliver goods to Warehouse or phone Hospice if you have suitable furniture which requires collection.

Link Drive Urgently Need Furniture

Our Link Drive shop is doing so well that we are running short of good quality furniture and homeware to sell. If you are moving house, down-sizing, or just changing your “look“, please think of us. We will happily accept your “no longer needed“ goods and can collect sizeable donations from anywhere on the North Shore. Thank you to all our wonderful supporters and to our customers. Our Link Drive shop is situated at 27 Link Drive, Wairau Park. Phone (09) 443 4061.

Shopping with Hospice

Many North Shore Hospice supporters will be aware of the wonderful gems that our Hospice shops are. They have already discovered the hidden treasure that exists. There are fantastic items available for amazingly low prices in all our shops – all for the sake of a little digging around through the huge amount of goods that are donated to us.

Shopping at Hospice shops is a way of life for many of our customers who visit us regularly to see what is new and to experience the ‘buzz' of finding something special. For some it may be an Ashley Fogel suit, hardly worn, or a Christian la Croix blouse. Maybe a special piece of glassware or pottery, or a piece of vintage jewellery. Others buy delicate Italian-made shoes (someone's regretted impulse buy), or a pair of track shoes size 12. And let us not forget books, of which we have thousands, old and new and some of real value.

Students set up their flats with our bargain furniture and kitchen appliances, (a toaster for $5.00 or a microwave for $15.00), cutlery and pots and pans. Second hand dealers come and complain that our prices are too high, but often leave with a boot load of gear.

Amateur traders come and pick up books and bric-a-bac to trade on the net, making themselves a few dollars on the side and enjoying the excitement when they hit the jackpot. One customer had a memorable weekend on Trade Me when a book purchased from us for $2.00 netted him $75.00. (We are now trying to persuade him to work for us!) Dunbar Sloane, the art auction house has taken 14 pictures from one of our shops for auction, definitely a vote of confidence.

Best of all, if you do make a mistake it really doesn't matter because you will not be paying the earth for your purchase and if you don't want it, you can always give it back! Have you ever thought of visiting a Hospice shop to find a bargain? You will be most welcome, and of course you will be helping a wonderful cause. We do look forward to seeing you at one of our shops listed. You never know – you may catch the bug – and you will be supporting Hospice all the way.

Barbara Moss

What can't be sold in Hospice Shops?

There is a saying that one person's junk is another person's fortune - not so these days. Volunteers work hard sorting, fixing, cleaning and mending the many goods which would normally be considered "unsaleable". But are understandably becoming disillusioned at the poor state of some goods that are donated or left at the shop doors.

The income from the shops has become one of our major fundraising sources but it is with regret that we are spending more and more dollars disposing of goods we cannot sell because of their poor condition and the health and safety risks they pose.

Opportunity shops are a competitive business and North Shore Hospice prides itself on high expectations that enable us to sustain five shops with the only overheads being running costs such as rent, power and water.

Therefore spending money to dispose of unsuitable goods is heart breaking for the volunteers who work so hard.

Some of the items we can't offer for sale are:

• Electrical goods with broken plugs taped up or exposed wiring (all our goods are tested by registered electrician and disposed of if not considered safe)
• Appliances which an electrician needs to install e.g. light fittings
• Rusting items
• Broken furniture or furniture with missing parts
• Second hand paint or chemicals
• Wirewoves & kapok mattresses
• Soiled bedding
• Clothing that needs to be laundered
• Cracked or chipped mirrors and crockery
• Shoes not in new condition

If readers know of free storage or ways of disposing of unwanted goods or wish to assist with the shops in any way please contact Gaynor Larsen at Hospice who will welcome your interest.

We also wish to acknowledge "Sign of the Times" for again sponsoring the signage of this new venture that makes the shop easily recognisable as a Hospice Shop.