Charity 'department store' opens in north London shopping centre

Charity ‘department store’ opens in north London shopping centre in UK first with donated clothing supplied by 10 different organisations

• Charity Super.Mkt at Brent Cross Shopping Centre will be open until February 27
• It features clothes from British charities, including Cancer Research and Age UK

A charity ‘department store’ open in a north London shopping centre is the UK’s first with donated clothing supplied by 10 different organisations. 

The UK’s first multi-charity store, Charity Super.Mkt, has opened it’s doors at Brent Cross Shopping Centre.

The north London pop-up shop will be open for a month until February 27 as the nation calls for cheaper and more sustainable shopping amid the cost of living crisis.

The store sells second-hand donated clothes provided by 10 well-known British charities, such as Cancer Research and Barnardo’s.

The UK’s first multi-charity store, Charity Super.Mkt, has opened it’s doors at Brent Cross Shopping Centre in North London

The first of its kind pop-up shop will be open for a month until February 27 for shoppers to enjoy

The other charities offering their donations include Age UK, All Aboard, Emmaus, Havens Hospice, SCT, Marie Curie, TRAID and Shelter.

The idea behind the shop came from Wayne Hemingway, founder of the Red or Dead fashion brand, and Maria Chenoweth, the CEO of TRAID (Textile Reuse and International Development).

Ms Chenoweth told the BBC the pair were motivated to put the project in place as charity retailers ‘weren’t getting the recognition they deserved’.

The CEO believed that this came as a result of sustainable second-hand clothing being ‘hijacked’ by more established companies to attract socially aware shoppers.

Mr Hemingway believes the increase in popularity in second-hand shops come as a result of younger generations looking to ‘supplement their income’

READ MORE: ‘We’ve become the charity shop capital’

Mr Hemingway added that another inclination for opening the pop-up store was to combat the ‘old-fashioned’ mentality that High Street charity shops were a ‘sign of decline’.

‘When you look at the demographic of people who are shopping in charity shops, it’s the people who are leading the way in thinking,’ he said.

Both Ms Chenoweth and Mr Hemingway encouraged the idea that the assumptions made about charity shops needed to be dismissed – this comes as 65% of people across the United Kingdom wear second-hand clothes at least once a week.

Ms Chenoweth argued that charity shop are beginning to become the norm for shoppers nowadays, as according to her, some charity shop companies have seen a 20 per cent increase in sales post-pandemic. 

Her co-founder partner added that this increase was a result of younger generations looking to ‘supplement their income’ as many buy to resell them online, becoming a useful ‘side-hustle’ for ‘entrepreneurial’ young Londoners. 

He thinks this is a ‘win-win’ situation for youths working to pay the rent and the charities they were buying from.

However, his business partner asserted that the rise in demand for sustainable fashion was not only a result of the current economy, but instead is ‘mainly driven’ by shoppers’ concerns about the enviroment.

Two keen shoppers, Isaac, 24, and Lauren, 22, told the BBC this was their main incentive for visiting charity shops.

The pair agreed that buying previously used clothing feels better as they get to give back to charity and find great quality clothing at the same time. 

Another shopper, Anita, was interested in visiting the shop while shopping in Brent Cross  as it offered something different from the every-day High Street charity shops.    

Shoppers spoke of how they enjoy shopping at charity shops as it allows them the opportunity to give back to those in need

The co-founders have hope to see Charity Super.Mkt featured in cities across the whole UK

Fabia, from Brighton, who is a big enthusiast for sustainable clothing and was dressed from head to tie in charity shop clothing found the new pop-up shop delightful because ‘there’s more choice’.

Fabia added that with the closing down of bigger clothing brands in local highstreets, there is a gap in the market for these types of stores. 

Opened in a former Topshop store, the space had been empty for two years until now. 

The store features recycled fittings, and some of the hangers and the plastic bags are left behind by Sir Philip Green’s former fashion empire.

Ms Chenoweth and Mr Hemingway announced that they have big aspirations in store for Charity Super.Mkt and hope to feature the shop in cities across the UK.

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