I’ve been a repeat offender at Vinnies Caloundra since 2001. Every time I’ve popped in I haven’t left empty-handed, from vintage Oroton scarves for 50 cents to Sass and Bide style dresses for $3 it’s always been a highlight on my op shopping adventures. Known as one of the cheapest op shops on the coast, they do fill a bag, half price and ‘fitty cent’ days at random to keep the bargains rolling.

With fresh stock daily, especially on Mondays, there’s always an extensive range of colour-coded clothing to choose from including polka dot blouses with feature hankies and a great swag of sweaters. Out the back there’s a shed with a huge selection of furniture, crockery and bric-a-brac. If you love lamp you would have died and gone to heaven…they had a giant lamp shade there for $5! They even had a grandfather clock for sale for $40!

I cleaned up a few weeks ago, nabbing a Vintage Katies dress for $3, a Mink Pink dress never worn with the tags attached $5, a Gorman button up singlet for $4 and a handbag for $1.

All funds raised go to providing welfare services to the community. They even have a Welfare Centre out the back where people who are genuinely struggling financially can receive vouchers to spend in store.

MEET THE A-TEAM

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Merle (pictured left) has been volunteering for the past two years every Monday morning and loves the ladies she works with.

“I moved down from Bundaberg a few years ago and wanted to meet new people and I’ve met some great ones. We’ve got a nice team on Mondays,” she said.

Maureen (pictured right) is also rostered on Monday mornings and loves putting something back into the community.

“It’s really good to live the mission of St Vincent De Paul because that’s what it’s all about,” she said.

Address: 16 Mayes Avenue, Caloundra
Trading hours: 8:30am-4:30pm Mon-Fri and 9am-12:30pm Sat
Phone number: 07 5491 2800