One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure

Let's talk about secondhand shops. We all know they exist, but some people are put off by the word secondhand, since it makes them think of poor people, junk, and old dirty clothes. Then there are others who live and breathe secondhand - like me!I first fell in love with secondhand shops when I lived in England, in a small town that had one supermarket and four charity shops. After school, I used to go into those shops mainly to get out of the cold, but also to browse, and I always found something small to buy, at a price that a 12-year-old could afford. It was so magical for me to find a shop that had everything in it, from records to rock-band t-shirts, my mom's dresses, leather bags, plastic boots, teapots, books….and to know that the money I spent there would go to charity. I was hooked. In Europe and in the USA, charity shops / secondhand shops have existed since at least the 1970s. It's a way of life, a place to find a bargain, buy a top-notch brand that you couldn't afford when new, or find that old book that you always wanted but hadn't seen anywhere.

Today, secondhand shops are a part of the trendy worlds of fashion and recycling. As general public awareness has become greener and greener, secondhand shops have blossomed and become the place to be, full of hip and style. Over the last 15 years, secondhand shops have become very trendy also in Israel.

This simple idea that you can give away your good stylish clothes; the ones that are too small on you, that you got as a present and can't return, the clothes that sit in your closet just taking up room, means that you can recycle all your unwanted good stuff by bringing it to a secondhand shop, with the confidence that other people will buy your unwanted stylish stuff and give it a new home. Not only have we helped the environment by reducing the need to produce new clothes, we've also cleared out our closets! Or perhaps we've bought new stylish things at a bargain price, and at the same time given money to charity. It's a win-win situation. You know what they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure.

ESRA has two secondhand shops, one shop in Raanana, and one shop in Kfar Saba. Money earned from these shops goes toward supporting ESRA's education and welfare projects, and doing good for the local community.

In the ESRA shops, you'll find vintage wear from the nineties and earlier, trendy stuff with familiar top fashion labels, a variety of accessories, bric-a-brac, and lots more.

The shops are designed to delight all ages, from the 13-year-old looking for worn out Levi's, to a 73 year old searching for a vintage dress like the ones she wore in her teens; from that sporty woman who wants Nike tights but doesn't want to spend a fortune on a new pair, to the man looking for a pair of fancy vintage shoes for a one-off event, or anyone who likes pottery, old English tea sets, or just loves anything with a history and loves secondhand.

Come visit us, browse around, bring us your stylish unwanted goods, and open your heart to new "old" things. And don't forget to recycle, reuse, reduce!

Raanana: ESRA Nearly-New Shop, 100 Ahuza Street, Tel: 09 741 2631

Kfar Saba: ESRA Vintage Shop, 45 Rothschild Street, Tel: 09 765 4652