Second-hand furniture dealer blames charity shops for hard times (From Evesham Journal)

Second-hand furniture dealer blames charity shops for hard times

11:10pm Friday 21st September 2012 in News By Sarah Taylor

A businesswoman says the future of her second-hand furniture store is being threatened by an influx in charity shops.

Rosa Keenan, of Rosa’s Emporium, High Street, Evesham, blames the large increase in the number of charity shops for the closure of her second-hand furniture stores in Pershore and Tewkesbury.

She said that losing two shops in the last 18 months has led her to take on a new slogan, ‘charity begins at home’.

“I think the closures were because of the increasing number of charity shops,” she said.

“At least three opened up while I was in Pershore.

“The stuff was still coming in but people weren’t coming in, they go to the charity shops because it is the trend these days.

“We were getting swamped with them.

“Even Mary Portas said we are becoming a high street of charity shops.

“I am not taking anything away from the good work they do but now they are having a lot of furniture.

“They can get it cheaper than us traders, which we think is unfair. I have a new slogan, ‘charity begins at home’.”

Ms Keenan said she believes people should sell unwanted goods themselves and then donate the money to a charity which tells them where the money is going.

“I think people can be naive as to where the money goes,” said Ms Keenan.

“People should be donating to local charities not the national charities. It is not what it used to be, it is big business.

“Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. It is great people want to donate to charity but I think they have crossed the line.”