Drysdale Op Shop extends hours to account for busy summer

BUSINESS has been busy ever since the Drysdale Uniting Church took over the town’s Op Shop in late November, which is why the institution has expanded its hours of operation throughout January.

In addition to the usual Monday to Friday operations between 11am-4pm, the Op Shop will also operate every Saturday between 9.30am-12.30pm this month to capitalise on the increased activity around Drysdale during one of the town’s busiest months.

“The church’s council thought in opening the Op Shop on a Saturday morning during January we would be taking advantage of the increasing tourists around town,” church council chair Wayne Myers said.

“We have had good business over the six or so weeks our Op Shop has been operational which was the main factor in extending the Op Shop’s days of operation to six.”

Mr Myers said that while taking on the extra responsibilities in addition to the church’s many existing initiatives and programs had been challenging at times, there had been many positives.

“It has been very rewarding both financially and in terms of our mission, and that is an important part for us as an institution. “We don’t just want to do this to make money, although that is certainly helpful for us.

“We want to provide opportunity for people to come into the church and for volunteers who were in the previous Op Shop to continue to work with us alongside church members and community members alike.”

The social connections extend past the workers at Drysdale Uniting Church.

Situated in the middle of town on High Street with a rear parking lot connecting to the local Woolworths, the church’s location provides plenty of exposure for the Op Shop.

As a result, it offers another hub for residents and visitors to gather and keep stock moving, a big focus point for the council.

“I went in recently to see how it was all going after a busy day and there was no stock left, which was great. Additionally, we had also received an abundance of donations,” Mr Myers said.

“So, we sell plenty of donated goods as well as receive them, and that is one of the most important objectives in maintaining an Op Shop, to keep stock moving.”

Items such as affordable clothing, bric-a-brac and children’s toys are available to shopgoers, while items identified as more expensive are sold via eBay to keep items affordable in the shop on average.

A portion of the Op Shop’s funds also go to a variety of community organisations. Most recently, the church made donations to Drysdale Family Support Food Bank and the Springdale Kinship Carers this past Christmas.