By Carol Altmann

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #DC943C;”] D[/dropcap]riving through Cobden on a very quiet Tuesday morning, I spotted a sign that is impossible to pass: Op Shop – OPEN.

The Uniting Church Op-shop in Cobden is part of a larger community house that actually looks like a cute, welcoming house: the sort of cottage that your grandparents might have lived in.

And inside I meet a smiling, blue-eyed woman who is just the sort of person we would all want as a grandma, if we didn’t happen to have one.

“I am Mary Elizabeth Smith,” she says by way of introduction.

“Mary Smith, I know, a very uncommon name,” she adds with a laugh.

Mary doesn’t own a computer and has no interest in ever doing so, but she likes the idea of a story about the shop in Bluestone Magazine and is more than happy to show this drop-in visitor around.

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #DC943C;”] T[/dropcap]he op-shop, Mary explains, was recently expanded to allow more space for its wares and it is surprising to discover just how many rooms it occupies.

The back section, added as part of a major upgrade in 2014, is full of neatly stacked games and books and toys and well-organised racks of clothing, shelves of linen, and an assortment of larger furniture.

By selling some of the church’s other assets, including buildings at South Purrumbete and Purrumbete, plus donations from the community, the Uniting Church has transformed the cottage into a welcoming and useful space.

The upgrade included not only more room for the secondhand treasures, but a community meeting room, full kitchen facilities and spanking new toilets.

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #DC943C;”] V[/dropcap]olunteers like Mary keep the place ticking over and I point out that, technically, she shouldn’t even be there given it is 11.30am and the sign says the op-shop opens at 1pm on Tuesdays.

“I know, but if there is somebody available, we open, so don’t worry too much about the sign,” she smiles.

“Take a look around, take your time.”

And with that, I am off, peering at old paintings, checking out the cutlery, cups and plates and slowly entering that blissful state that comes over us op-shoppers when we are immersed in a new find.

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #DC943C;”] A[/dropcap] retro metal candle holder for a trio of candles is the pick of the day at $4, followed closely by a long teak platter for $1.

Now I am not sure it is right to eavesdrop in an op-shop, but as I take my treasures to the counter, I can’t help but overhear a conversation about the imminent arrival of the person who will be handling welfare requests at the shop that day.

It is a gentle reminder that op-shops are so important in so many ways. If you are anywhere near Cobden, drop in to visit this one.

[box]The Uniting Church Op-Shop is at 50 Curdie St, Cobden (the main street). The official opening hours are Mon-Thurs 1pm-4pm; Friday 10am-4pm;
Sat 10am-12pm. Contact: 0475 699 483. You can find them on the Cobden Business Network here. [/box]

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[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #DC943C;”] A [/dropcap]t the risk of starting a passionate debate – then again, why not? – could Koroit be home to one of the best, old-style op shops in the south-west?

The Koroit Lion’s Club op-shop in a former kindergarten building in High St has been open for less than six months, but is already pulling the crowds from around the district and mostly through word of mouth.

Indeed Bluestone has learned the shop is turning over at least $1000 a week – more than $20,000 in total thus far – which is bringing smiles to the faces of the Lion’s Club which uses all of this money to fund a range of community projects in Koroit. It sure beats slaving over a sausage sizzle every Saturday!

And what is the secret to its success? From our assessment, it is the fact that the op shop is how op shops used to be before going more boutique, ie. slightly rambling, slightly cluttered and cheap, cheap, cheap.

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #DC943C;”] W [/dropcap]hile there are glass cabinets here and there displaying “special” items, such as what appeared to be a set of Bakelite coasters for $10, there are also racks of clothes, shelves of shoes, piles of plates, cups, cutlery, knick-knacks, toys, china, vases, videos, CDs, DVDs and all of the other irresistible gizmos and gadgets that make up an op-shop, with prices marked at 20 cents, 50 cents, $1….you get the picture.

In a place like this, $5 can go a very long way.

We purchased a down vest (90 per cent down, 10 per cent small feathers), a must-have collectable spoon from Talbot featuring a female lawn bowler with arms completely out of proportion to her body and a 1970s Australian-made, Johnson ware plate – total cost: $3.

The thinking behind the op-shop is to move the goods on as quickly as possible, hence the bargain prices, rather than have them piling up. Like most op-shops, donations of goods keep rolling in and can quickly become overwhelming.

The op-shop also offers Eftpos and credit card facilities. Be warned: this place could get seriously addictive.

Did you see our earlier story on the transformation of Koroit? Catch up here.

[box]The Koroit Lion’s Club Op-Shop, 92 High St (next to the CFA), Koroit, is open Mon, Wed and Friday from 10am-4pm and Saturday from 10am-1pm.[/box]

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