IN THE BIN TRADE

We totally love it when a customer finds exactly what they were looking for. It brightens the whole day and makes the shop look better instantly. This week a young French couple came in with their saucepan, looking for a lid to fit. They would have settled for “pretty good”, but they found perfection!

The young fellow who bought the two-burner camp stove let us know he was very pleased with his purchase. The Joanna Morgan dress found its forever home. We thrive on people’s delight in finding something that is just right for them. In a charity shop like us it’s hard to know what that is going to be, which makes it all the more exciting when it happens.

Some of our favourite comments are: “My grandma had one of these.” “Our daughter has always wanted a purple one.” “I have been looking for this for ages and ages”. “This is going to be perfect”.

We have been lucky lately in being able to brighten up people’s Christmas. Some decorations have been in the free box, some still are, and some fine trees and baubles have sold. Sadly no-one has taken a shine to the very lovely wooden manger with old hand-painted plastic figures. Might be because it’s missing two of the main characters, Jesus and Joseph.

The road works outside the Cheep Shop have been every bit as awful as predicted. We apologise to anyone who came after 1pm last Thursday. The noise of the machinery was painful and the difficult and dangerous trek across the congested road put off all but two intrepid customers. At 1pm we threw in the towel and went home for a nice little lie down.

But we will be back, nothing surer! All our usual hours. We look forward to seeing you when the pavement opens again. [It looks like they’ve finished — Ed]