Second-hand Boutique for Best Agers
St. Wendel. Too good to throw away? For 30 years, well-preserved clothing items have been able to be donated to the Evangelical Clothing Chamber St. Wendel. Now the institution of the St. Wendel-Illtal church community has reinvented itself: after moving to the city center, it presents itself in a new guise – with a new name and a new concept. The Evangelical Clothing Chamber has become the “Anziehpunkt.” “The name came as a suggestion from the Clothing Chamber team,” says Tina Cerovsek from the board of the Evangelical Church Community St. Wendel-Illtal, which is the institution’s sponsor. A happy coincidence, one might say. Because the new name expresses what the shop and team want to be: open to everyone. Just last year, the Clothing Chamber had to give up its longtime home on Beethovenstraße because the building was in a poor state and has since been demolished. Temporarily, the Clothing Chamber was housed in the premises of the Workers’ Welfare Association on Julius-Bettingen-Straße, but this was limited from the start to one year. When searching for new premises again, chance lent a hand. After the relocation of the “Silbernadel” boutique to Bahnhofstraße, a new tenant was sought for the premises at Hospitalstraße 13. The owner of the storefront was immediately enthusiastic about the Clothing Chamber and expressly supported the project. She also provided the previous high-quality interior, as the team reveals.
[advertisement placement="medium_rectangle" align="left"]“We are very happy” with the new store, says Monika Loth de Flores, who organizes the currently seven-member volunteer team of the “Anziehpunkt.” In the first four weeks, they have settled in well at Hospitalstraße, and the regular customer base has already grown.
This may be due to the more central location below the Domgalerie. Above all, it certainly has to do with the fact that the former Clothing Chamber experienced a complete makeover with the renaming to “Anziehpunkt.” The store resembles a boutique far more than a social department store. The built-in cabinets and display cases have a sophisticated style, there is a large window front with mannequins, a coat rack, and a children’s area. This creates an atmosphere that invites browsing. Although there is still an offer of second-hand household items presented discreetly, the main focus is on clothing.
Apparently, the team’s concept strikes a chord. While sustainability, clothing swap events, and “slow fashion” (i.e., durable, sustainable fashion) are more often associated with a younger target group, the “Anziehpunkt” shows that this concept also appeals to older people.
Accordingly, the customers who visit the Clothing Chamber on this day are exclusively women of middle or advanced age – Best Agers, as people aged 50 and above are sometimes called.
[advertisement placement="medium_rectangle" align="right"]Supply and demand inevitably go hand in hand here, because the store lives on donated clothing – precisely those pieces that are far too good to throw away. Much of what hangs on shelves and racks is strikingly high-quality. And there is a reason for that.
For example, a lady arriving with two large bags announces that she will soon move to assisted living. Since she has to downsize for that, she is donating part of her clothing to the “Anziehpunkt.” They get this kind of thing often, the ladies of the volunteer team say. In addition to household clearances, larger batches of clothing also regularly come in after deaths. Basically, all interested parties can donate good, wearable clothing, toys, or household items in the store.
The “Anziehpunkt” is open to all not only regarding donations but also concerning customers. Since the institution is about sustainability and social commitment, everyone interested can come and shop; no proof of neediness is required.
A customer is just about to pay. A chic sleeveless blouse with a black-and-white pattern lies in front of her on the counter. “Only two euros?” she asks incredulously when the price is mentioned. Surprises at the checkout happen more often these days, confirms Gerda Layher, who is cashiering that day. “Many new customers come, too,” she says. Not everyone is familiar with the “Anziehpunkt” concept. All prices are symbolic, more a handling fee than a purchase price. But those who can and want to spend more are welcome to add a donation.
[advertisement placement="medium_rectangle" align="left"]Every euro earned serves a good cause. Since all offered goods were donated, only rent has to be covered from it. “The profit we generate here is donated to social projects,” explains team leader Monika Loth de Flores. Because even if location, target group, and assortment have changed significantly, the “Anziehpunkt” wants to stay true at its core to the ideals with which the Evangelical Clothing Chamber St. Wendel was founded in 1996: supporting people in need.
Info
The ‘Anziehpunkt’ of the Evangelical Church Community St. Wendel-Illtal at Hospitalstraße 13 in St. Wendel (formerly: “Silbernadel”) is open every Wednesday from 1 to 4 p.m. Donations are also accepted during opening hours.
