The Riverton Community Op Shop is celebrating one year of being in its new store.

Manager Annette Alexander organised a birthday event at the weekend which included major discounts and face painting.

The shop had been running for 12 years behind a church until a new building was bought and they found their new home.

“It’s massive, amazing for the community because all the funds are distributed back to the community,” Ms Alexander said.

She had received great feedback from the local community and other customers who stopped by.

“The new shop itself has brought a really good vibe to the main street and I think everyone’s really proud of it.”

The shop had become a sort of “local attraction”, as word was spreading across Southland about the store, she said.

“We get a lot of locals but also a lot of day trippers from Invercargill and surrounding districts, tourists and holiday makers — a real mix.”

Most things that came in were gone pretty quickly, she said.

“Clothing is our biggest seller but we have random things, from kitchen to sportswear, to crafty things, to china and decor.’’

 Ms Alexander has been managing the store since it opened at its new location, but had been involved previously. 

They have 29 volunteers working, a lot of them being older women who are retired.

“We’ve got a business, farming, but there’s a few others that have got other sorts of gigs going on too.”

Some worked most regular business days for a week or fortnight and others just came in once a month, she said.

Karen Skerrett is one of those volunteers and was with the shop at its old location.

She loved the new shop, saying “who wouldn’t?”, and highlighting that it was “purpose-built” and renovated for them.

After she moved to Riverton, she decided volunteering at the op shop would be a good way to meet people.

“It’s an amazing community, this is a service to that community.”

She said they had got great responses from the shoppers, and she had heard it was “the best op shop around”.

Julie Ashbridge is a frequent op shopper and has been for years, visiting a number of shops around Southland.

“I find it interesting, you don’t know what vintage or antique you’re going to find.”

She thinks the diversity of stock in op shops plays a part in their popularity.

“There’s always a little bit of everything, especially if you’re wanting to go for a night out in fancy dress or you want something retro, vintage. It’s a great place to come.”

Cost of living also likely played a factor, she said.

“People still want to dress nice and wear labels; they’re able to come to these places, to an op shop.”

Ms Alexander shared a similar perspective, but also emphasised the effects of fast fashion.

“A lot of people are drawn because of cost of living, but a lot of people now are looking at more as sustainability.”

She had noticed people had become more aware of how “wasteful” fast fashion could be and started wanting to recycle clothes.

“It’s a lifestyle thing as well — a lot of people, they choose to op shop and are drawn to op shops.”