Scotland’s first multi-charity fashion store to open at Glasgow Fort – Scottish Business News

• New multi-charity fashion store to support seven local and national charities
• More than £620,000 raised for UK charities so far 
• 40,000 second-hand items sold in just 41 days at first pop-up in North London

CHARITY Super.Mkt is opening Scotland’s first-ever multi-charity store at Glasgow Fort on Tuesday 27th June, following on from its phenomenal success in London and Reading, raising over £620,000 for UK charities.

The store, which will be based between Mamas & Papas and Waterstones, will be full of great charity shop finds and have DJ’s playing every weekend.

This novel and innovative business model enables the charities to collaborate for the first time and attract and engage new customers in a fun shopping environment.

Charity Super.Mkt sold 40,000 second-hand items in just 41 days of trading at their first store in London, with over 26,000 customers flocking to snap up pre-loved clothes and accessories from household names including Ralph Lauren and Burberry.

Now, founders Wayne Hemingway and Maria Chenoweth are bringing their pop-up to Glasgow Fort, selling hand-selected clothing supplied by seven Scottish and national charities including Cancer Research, Chest Heart Stroke Scotland, Havens Hospices, Marie Curie, Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice, Shelter and TRAID.

Benefits of Charity Super.Mkt goes further than just raising funds. From the two pop-ups to date, 18,700kg of clothing has already been saved from going to landfill reducing the environmental impact of our clothes.

During its first eight weeks of trading in London, the money raised by the individual retailing charities funded:

• 96 days of Cancer Research nurses to support lifesaving care
• 1,000 webchat housing advice calls from the team at Shelter
• 1,000 hours of specialist nursing care from Havens Hospices nurses for a patient in their own home at the end of their life
• TRAID’s new project providing schooling for the children of waste pickers at Dhaka’s Matuail landfill site

Charity retail is now a part of the modern retail mix, it provides good quality, affordable clothing options amid an increased cost of living, as well as a more sustainable approach to buying and reusing loved items.

According to TRAID’s YouGov survey, 65% of us now wear something second-hand, while 80% of second-hand purchases are made through charity shops. This renaissance in pre-loved shopping has been spearheaded by Gen Z and Millennials, who are more conscious of the impact their spending has on the planet and are attuned to buying and selling second-hand clothes to create unique looks.

Shoppers can be there for Glasgow’s first rummage of this curated collection of second-hand fashion at the store launch party on Tuesday 27th June 6pm – 8pm, with get early access, and the chance to grab a drink and enjoy live DJ sets. To register interest, visit: https://bit.ly/gfortlaunch

Maria Chenoweth, CEO of TRAID, commented: “Having been in charity retail for over 30 years, being part of the first ever charity retail collaboration is an amazing and positive experience.

“Charity Super.Mkt hits circular economy and sustainability aspirations, whilst also hitting the cost-of-living crisis. Charity retail is the understated best of sustainable business, there is no better example of an economy that delivers societal benefits at this scale. It provides everyone the opportunity to shop good and do good, from the environmental benefits of shopping second-hand to providing critical funding for local and global causes. Our consumers are increasingly interested in finding sustainable brands and opportunities to mix new outfits with second-hand fashion, so we’re excited to be bringing this innovative concept to Glasgow Fort.”

Wayne Hemingway added: “Charity Super.Mkt has been nothing short of a huge success in London, Reading and most recently Manchester, and now we’re bringing the concept to Scotland. Next stop is Glasgow Fort where we have gathered a revolving cohort of local and national charities who have all been squirrelling away great second-hand pieces. Don’t miss your chance to experience what could well be the hottest retail concept in the UK right now.”

Phil Goodman, Centre Director at Glasgow Fort, said: “We’re really pleased to welcome Charity Super.Mkt to the centre and host its first location in Scotland. It’s a brilliant concept which we know will prove popular with our shoppers while also supporting local charities and the environment.”

Jane-Claire Judson, chief executive of Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland, one of the seven charity retailers taking part in the event said: “Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland is the biggest Scottish-based charity fashion retailer in the country and we’re so excited to partner with Charity Super.Mkt. This is a chance for people to give their pounds real purpose. It’s a chance to celebrate sustainable fashion and give back to your local community. Every purchase made with CHSS is the difference between someone just surviving and really living. So, we’d love for people to come down to Glasgow Fort, grab a bargain and show their support for local charities.”

Charity Super.Mkt will be open 10am to 7pm on weekdays, 10am to 7pm on Saturdays and 10am to 6pm on Sundays.

For more information on Glasgow Fort, please visit www.glasgowfort.com.