26/10/2023
It is a day of mixed feelings today for the Woomelang Op Shop!
We have operated as the Woomelang Op Shop since 2012 and are currently in our fourth location. When we started the aim was to raise funds for the Woomelang and District Historical Society which we have done very successfully for the past 11 years. We started in a shared location with the Historical Society at the old Post Office building.
When we began we didnt know if an Op Shop in a small community would work, but it has. There are so many people to thank along the way.
Firstly to Melissa Mitchell - when we decided to open an Op Shop we felt like we were out on a limb because no one thought it would work, but your enthusiasm, foresight, knowledge and determination saw it become a reality.
We had a tiny area the size of and tandem trailer to sell our wears, but oh how we grew!
Natalie Mitchell - with such a tiny space we needed someone to style it up and make the most of the area; as well as sew some gorgeous kids clothes and for that beginning we are forever grateful. We all learnt a lot about what looks good and what looks trashy!
To the very generous landlords we have had along the way who gave us cheap rent; Bruce, Barry, Tina and Trevor and Claire thank you all for giving the Op Shop a home without you we would have had to close because rentals are very hard to come by.
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered and supported the op shop. As I said earlier we have moved several times and each time people just came out of the woodwork and helped and this has been a mammoth task each time. Volunteers and supporters come in all shapes and sizes. Some open the doors to the shop, some sort, some clean, some wash and iron, some donate and some buy. Thank you to you all.
Special thanks to our current crop of ladies who do all of the above.
Leslie, Mandy, Wendy, Gwen, Gwenyth and Dianne. You ladies organise yourselves, you open the doors, you sort, you wash and you iron. You are reliable and dependable and we couldnt operate without you.
Where to now!! Brush away the tears because we are very excited for the next chapter!!
We are moving but not as an Op Shop!! Its complicated!
We are re inventing ourselves at our new location, the Woomelang Train Station. The reason we are having a makeover is because we cant move to the Train Station as an Op Shop because an Op Shop is a commercial business.
So ............. look out for the new fb page when I get time ..... Woomelang Makers Station!! Where we will create, reuse, recycle and repurpose!! We have a crafting area, we have patterns, material, ribbon, buttons, bows you name it we have it and we have a sewing machine for anyone to use as long as you know how. We have hand made craft items and wood work. We have tourist information and some of the best volunteers you will ever meet.
Starting next year we have drawing classes confirmed, water colour classes confirmed as well as "come along and sing classes"-no skills needed!! Fun fun fun!!
So thank you to you all. Watch this space for the next exciting chapter
While the Op Shop will no longer have a physical address we still have lots of items in storage that Im hoping we can advertise possibly through this page and sell and use the Train Station as the pick up point but thats down the track a bit.
Last thank you Gwen and Gwenyth who have seen this through from the beginning in 2012 and are very valuable assets to the community. Gwenyth who is the most positive forward thinking lady I know. Gwenyth is kind, caring and always considerate of other peoples point of view. Gwen you bring our sometimes wild ideas back down to earth when we get carried away!! You are practical and think of all aspects of who, how, when and why. Thank you both.
