The Chronicle Herald (Provincial)
RETALES: Has Bin makes crossharbour move
Second-hand clothing shop outgrows previous space
It's a little more than two years since the Has Bin opened in north-end Dartmouth, and now it's version 2, with a move across the harbour to northend Halifax.
Last week, the Has Bin opened at 2738 Agricola St., most recently the longtime home of Mclellan Antiques& Restoration, which now offers restorations by appointment only.
“I knew it was a good fit,” owner Bee Morrison says of the new spot.
“The time felt right, we had just come up on the end of our lease and I was tired of being in the middle of nowhere,” referring to the minimal foot traffic she had on Windmill Road in Dartmouth.
“The space has its own personality; it's weird, old and rarely makes sense spatially. It honestly feels stubborn to me, and that's probably why I liked it so much. It's a much bigger space than our old one, with plenty of storage.”
It also has some room for a sewing area to help utilize her seamstress skills.
The Has Bin sells used clothing, but the business model is
slightly different because the goods are all bought from individuals and purchased outright, in a modified consignment model.
“Because I do all the buying, we have a focus on queer esthetics, as well as a heavy '80s, early '90s influence,” Morrison says.
“For me, accessibility is of the utmost importance. My entire community being able to access my products is very important to me. We have an extensive Pay What
You Can section, with over 300 pieces currently.”
The shop is laid out based on clothing type. However, the plus-sized clothing is separated, saving people from having to rummage through everything in the shop.
She says she has learned quite a bit in the last two years.
“I'm still very young, so a lot of that learning is because I am only really just becoming an adult. Some of my lessons have been jarring, like how it can be really and truly isolating to be a small-business owner. It's a lot of long hours alone in the store.”
Morrison also emphasizes the importance of asking for
help from family and friends, and keeping track of everything in a spreadsheet, as well as the annoyance of tax season.
“Maybe it sounds boring and cliche, but I've learned how much I really do love this city. The people are kind and
supportive, and man do they love second-hand clothes.”
Here are more retail highlights and happenings:
• A few weeks ago, Ready for Joy opened at 1022 Barrington St., near Inglis, replacing Chat Bar. It serves Chinese and Japanese cuisine.
• Shoe chain Naturalizer will close all of its retail stores by the end of January, favouring an online model. This includes stores in Dartmouth, Halifax and Bedford.
• The Syrian Meat Shop, which left its Gladstone Street home a few months ago, will be back at 3600 Strawberry Hill. The much larger space includes a restaurant area and name change to Syriana Market.
• Posh, a gift store with the tagline “funky things for fussy people,” has opened in Sunnyside Mall in Bedford. There is a location in Historic Properties.
• Falafel Factory has opened inside Papa Marios at 1189 Bedford Hwy., with falafels and hummus as the feature.
• 5 Social opened Friday, replacing Little Fish, the lounge area of Five Fishermen, on Argyle Street in Halifax. It's described as “where the worlds of sound, mixology and culinary come together to create an unforgettable experience” in a recent social media post.
• The renovation at the corner of Chain Lake and Crane Lake drives, near the St. Margarets Bay Road entrance to Bayers Lake Business Park, will be a new location of Cha Baa Thai.