Treasures from the Tour
By Julia George
Presented by Op Shop Tours Australia http://www.opshoptours.com.au/
This (very hot) afternoon my sister & I jumped on an air-conditioned Adelaide Metro bus, accompanied by 20 or so other women (and a couple of guys) from a range of ages, all ready & rearing to discover what five Adelaide second-hand shops had on offer. We were warmly greeted by our host, Sasha Catalano, who created an energetic and friendly atmosphere.
Today’s tour was titled “Find me in Findon”, but there’s also “Blackwood Bonanza” & “North to Magill” on offer at this year’s Fringe, exploring op shops in different areas of Adelaide.
Our four-hour adventure started at the Salvo’s store on Morphett Street, city, but unfortunately there was no time allocated to browse through the store and we were briskly whisked off to our first stop, the Salvo’s store on Goodwood Road. This is where the bargain hunting began, my sister found a Tina Kavlis skirt & I picked up a beautiful bright pink silk top.
We were then taken to In Vogue on Belair Road, where there were a range of vintage fashion dating back to the 50s! We had a laugh looking through what was on offer & had some fun trying on some dresses from the 60s. The store also had a large cafeteria type area, where tea & freshly baked scones baked by an onsite chef were available for a gold coin. Mmm delicious!
Next we headed further west, where we arrived at Vinnies & the new Red Cross Superstore, side by side on Grange Road. The stores were large, stock was plentiful & bargains were abundant. I found a cute Babydoll checkered shirt & a vintage picnic basket – all for $15! Last stop on the tour was a Salvos store, also in the Findon area. The store was the largest of them all, and some of the ladies on the tour picked up some beautiful vintage brown leather bags.
Our host Sasha looked after us well when we were in the shops, pointing our bargains & great buys. During transit between stores, Sasha ran competitions and give-aways all part of the on bus action.
The tour was a fun afternoon, and a great way to discover the city and go to places I never knew existed. I also feel warm & fuzzy supporting local charities, and reviving & recycling old clothing. I will be back!
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