After Goodwill

Other centres, charities and second-hand shops will take your old belongings

The Buy-Sell-Trade model

Consignment shops have been popping up across the city and offer a range of carefully selected clothing and goods that appeal to a diverse clientele.

While Kind Exchange tops the list, you can find similarly priced second-hand items at places like Common Sort, with locations in Riverside and Parkdale. Both provide the option to buy, sell and trade, while a portion of proceeds acquired through donations will go directly to a local charity. They are currently buying for Spring.

For those looking to add vintage and designer pieces to their wardrobe, Toronto is home to a growing number of high-end consignment shops that cater to both men and women looking for signature pieces on a budget.

Fashionably Yours carries brand like Louis Vuitton and Chanel, and will split the sale for your used threads 50/50. They also have an online store where sale items are tracked. Women looking to invest in high-end designer brands can shop pieces from Gucci, Fendi and Prada, in both used and new condition at VSP Consignment. Shop by season and bring in your goods for consultation, Monday to Friday, at 45% off the items original sale price.

With Goodwill recently closing its doors to customers and staff, Torontonians may be seeking an alternative way to give back to the community.

There are a number of options when looking to make a donation in the local area.

Drop offs can be made to the Salvation Army through drop bins located across the city and Value Village will accept gently used clothing at any of its eight locations. The Covenant House ensures your items will go to help homeless youth.

In a statement released by Goodwill Industries of Ontario, CEO Keiko Nakamura expresses his concern and frustration over the impact closures will have on more than 430 employees.

With Goodwill having spent more than 80 years serving communities in the Toronto area, employees are not the only ones shocked to hear the fate of the chain.

Leyla Goka, 25, who considers herself a Value Village girl, says the closures are “shocking and probably illegal.”

In this case, Goodwill employees were not given the 30 to 60 days notice they are legally entitled to.

The competitive playing field and weak Canadian dollar are just two of the factors that may be affecting the retail environment. However, other donation centres in the city have experienced a different reality to the apparent crisis.

Jeff Wexler is the founder and owner of Toronto’s 10 Kind Exchange locations that have opened since 2011. Items can be donated during store hours and most stores will buy or trade depending on the season. As the chain continues to expand, the buy-sell-trade model is becoming an alternative for many who work in the consignment, vintage and resale industries.

Consignment locations in Toronto.

Kind Exchange locations across the city of Toronto, Mississauga.

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Posted: Feb 12 2016 12:37 pm
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