My house is almost a homage to hard rubbish. Nanna Patford volunteered at the Greensborough Op shop for almost 15 years, so I feel it must be in my genes. Like how some people are genetically predisposed to be nimble or athletic, I am genetically predisposed to rat through a tub of soiled pants to find that item I think is a bargain.
“That will wash out”
“I’ll fix that”
“Is that blood?”
Almost for my own reference as well as yours, I have created a somewhat treasure map of all my favorite Shopportunities** (patent pending on that term BTW). I hope you enjoy it, and use it. Pile your buds in the back of your Subaru, head to Woodend for an award winning magical vanilla slice* and drop into the lovely ladies who manage the Community Op Shop on High Street. Leave the cookie jars behind. I know a certain local who collects them.
The great thing about most of the below Op Shops is that they are far enough out of town for them not to be stripped clean often, but not too far away that you need to pack a sleeping bag. The drive is also pretty spectacular.
1. Woodend Salvos – 130 High Street, Woodend
2. Woodend Community Op Shop – High Street, Woodend, next to the bakery
3. Strathalan Op Shop – 2 to 34 Erskine Road, Macleod
4. Kew Vinnies – 735 High Street, Kew
5. Diamond Creek Community Op Shop (closed for renovations) – Main Hurstbridge Road, Diamond Creek
6 & 10. Abbotsford Salvos – 81 Victoria Crescent, Abbotsford
7. Nicely Saved Salvos – Main Hurstbridge Road, Diamond Creek
8 & 12. Trentham Community Op Shop – Main road, Trentham
9. Roveville Salvos – 3 Fulham Road, Rowville
11. Greensborough Savers – 114 Main Road, Greensborough
Other Favorites
Hurstbridge Op Shop – 958 Main Road, Hurstbridge
Sydney Road Savers – 330 Sydney Road Brunswick
Kew Community Op Shop – 643 High Street, Kew
Kew MS Op Shop – 290 High Street, Kew
*A vanilla slice is a vanilla slice, I dunno what the big dealeo is.
**I was going to call this blog post “Gemma’s Plop Slops” but thought better of it.
