Temporary Shop Closure 12.1.11

As most people would be aware, Queensland is facing it's worst Natural Disaster in many, many years. 

75% of our state has been considered a Natural Disaster Zone and many areas local to the shop are already affected by the floods.

Beaudesert Road near the Motorama 4x4 by More is under water and has been closed.  Muriel Avenue (off which you turn in to get to the shop) is also closed due to flooding. 

Water levels are expected to be greater than in 1974 floods, which, many locals will be aware the water levels did come awfully close to where the shop is (across the road where the safety shop and servo is was underwater).

This is the prediction of the area that will be affected by flooding (in yellow) if you look you'll see that our street is on the prediction map. 

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201101/r700540_5364790.pdf

As a result we are not taking risks, and have closed the shop until the imminent risk of flood waters has passed.

Obviously this is a very trying time - many of our clients in the Yeronga, Rocklea, Fairfield, Sherwood, Tennyson areas will already be affected by flood.  This is the time when our community needs to band together and work as one to help those who need it, so the closing of the shop is not one that we take lightly.

Blogged!

Thanks so much to Kim for writing a bit about her experience about our shop on her blog!
If you have a moment spare, why not pop over to her blog for a read and to leave a comment. You'll find the post here:
http://wibv.blogspot.com/2010/12/sandlewood-op-shop.html

Almost a Happy New Year!

I don't know if it's just me, but this year seems to have gone way too quickly!  It seems like only yesterday we were in the preparation stage of opening, and yet this year we celebrated our 1st Birthday of the Shop and also our 2nd Christmas.  We started up the website, and I tried to keep up (not very sucessfully I might add!) with the blogging to keep everyone in the loop of what was going on!

We've  been in the local Newspapers, and featured in local magazines like the Westender http://www.westender.com.au/

This year, we once again were able to assist many disadvantaged members of our community with the help of some wonderful friends. 

The lovely people at Givit http://www.givit.org.au/ assisted us this year in our Christmas Hamper Appeal by spreading the word on their website, and assisted us with the task of requesting donations of many non perishable food and household items. 

For those not in the know, Givit is a not-for-profit Organisation run by a team of hardworking and dedicated volunteers.  Their aim is to match up people in need with items that people no longer want or need.  I strongly urge you, if you have items of furniture or other items that you are considering donating to charity, please consider putting your unwanted item on Givit's website.   This allows organisations such as housing providers, crisis accommodation facilities, community mental health agencies and groups who help disadvantaged people in our area, to request and receive goods that their clients need.  

So anyway, the wonderful staff at Givit really helped enable us to help out families who really were in need at this time of year.  

Our wonderful friends Tom and Steph at Storage King Salisbury http://www.storageking.com.au/salisbury/  offered us up some space, and storage bags to pack all our parcels. 

 

With our volunteer troops Conwae, Cathy, Helen, Lee, Rosie and of course Desley, the team packed a total of 37 hampers and gift packs that helped out a total of 61 people in total.   I'm sure you'll agree that for such a tiny shop this is a huge feat and one we should be very proud of !! And so with that, Christmas was over, and it is ALMOST 2011!   I am so proud to be able to do such a wonderful "job" where I can be involved with such wonderful giving people and see all our hard work really pay off. 

So, at this point - I would like to thank a few people. 

First off, thanks to Desley, who literally never stops working for the Shop.  Even when she's not at the Shop (which she often is much longer than the opening hours), she's doing something for the Shop, or a client, or someone else who needs something.
A huge thank you to our volunteers this year, Grace, Ellie, Conwae, Cathy, Helen, Lee, Rosie, John and I would like to particularly thank Marie, who always comes rain, hail or shine and always has a smile on her face, no matter how big the daunting pile of donations she is standing in! 

Thank you also to Peter for stepping up and being the delivery/collections person most of the time until recently, despite also working a full-time paid job.  

A huge thanks also goes to all our regular customers, and our donators.  Without you, the shop can't continue to do the work it does and help people who need assistance.

So, I think that's just about it for 2010.  We will be open this week from 10am to 4pm and back as usual in the New Year after the Public Holidays.  

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

- Alani 

Spring is here!

The racks have been cleared with the Super Birthday Sale and we are currently in the process of bringing in loads of summer stock!  

We're also doing a little shifting around of things - so you may find that when you're next in things are in a slightly different spot to last time, so just ask us if there's something you're looking for.

Sandlewood Op Shop turns 1 !!

It's our 1st Birthday!!  We've come a long way from our humble (sparse) beginnings, but we are now followed by many and visited by heaps of regular customers. 

To help us celebrate our 1st Birthday, we are having a super sale! 
HALF PRICE off almost everything!

There are some exclusions to the sale
(silver & 9ct jewellery, vintage clothing and consignement items such as corsets/bustiers and pettiskirts)

NEW VINTAGE CLOTHING THIS WEEK

This week we have several new vintage/retro clothing items which have come in. 

We're currently in the process of laundering and marking - some is already out on the racks, but there is more to come!  If you are a vintage clothing lover, call in and take a look!

What's in the window this week?

1940's VINTAGE FUR CAPE 

This is the most gorgeous fur cape with pockets. 

It is fully lined in satin, and the fur and satin lining is in gorgeous condition.