New Shops in East Dulwich and Nearby - 2025 Edition

[Rockets]

On 18/03/2025 at 10:55, Angell34 said:

Just did a post it’s called What Mother Made - mother & kids boutique 

Oh my, have some of us been here so long that we are seeing a second generation of baby shops opening - this clearly means the first generation of kids in "Nappy Valley" have grown and many parents moved to pastures new and there's a new influx of young families! 😉 

[Azalea]

On 17/03/2025 at 14:11, teddyboy23 said:

The small St Christopher's charity shop is closing down.   they will be moving into the vacant jo Jo unit sometime in april

 

 

So not closing, but moving.

[CPR Dave]

Could just be a bored parent whose kids have flown the nest Rockets?

There have been quite a few lifestyle businesses like that over the years.

[Castleton]

On 17/03/2025 at 14:11, teddyboy23 said:

The small St Christopher's charity shop is closing down.   they will be moving into the vacant jo Jo unit sometime in april

Strangely felt the need to refurbish even though it was literally set up to sell children's items! 

Wonder how much that cost

[OutOfFocus]

On 19/03/2025 at 13:48, northernmonkey said:

Also saw that the barbers on Grove Vale next to Alpine Dry Cleaners has become another nail bar.  

Saw someone being clippered today, so maybe its both 

[Sue]

23 hours ago, Castleton said:

Strangely felt the need to refurbish even though it was literally set up to sell children's items! 

Wonder how much that cost

They have considerably upped their prices since the refurb, in the larger shop at least  (though to reflect generally better quality clothes etc being sold, to be fair) so they can probably afford it.

It's "vintage" now, not "charity shop." 🤣

Annoying for people like me who have always frequented charity shops and found bargains, and now there are loads of people shopping there, and very few real bargains!

I'm assuming it's the same trend for the children's shop as for adult charity shops.

Edited March 20 by Sue

[Cancerian]

This was on Instagram. 

[zork]

The original What Mother Made is in Hackney 

[Dulwich dweller]

On 20/03/2025 at 18:57, Sue said:

They have considerably upped their prices since the refurb, in the larger shop at least  (though to reflect generally better quality clothes etc being sold, to be fair) so they can probably afford it.

It's "vintage" now, not "charity shop." 🤣

Annoying for people like me who have always frequented charity shops and found bargains, and now there are loads of people shopping there, and very few real bargains!

I'm assuming it's the same trend for the children's shop as for adult charity shops.

They wanted £35 for a pair of used jeans a few weeks ago. It's definitely not a charity shop going by the price of things.

[Sue]

14 hours ago, Dulwich dweller said:

They wanted £35 for a pair of used jeans a few weeks ago. It's definitely not a charity shop going by the price of things.

It depends how you define a charity shop, surely?.

The proceeds of its sales are used for  rent, permanent staff (if any) and then the charity, presumably.

I also presume the £35 jeans were a "designer" brand and in good condition?

If people will pay that, then fair enough to charge it. If they won't, then they will reduce the price of the jeans, I expect.

[Spartacus]

Nice to see Kixs have reopened in their new location. 

[northernmonkey]

On 20/03/2025 at 18:22, OutOfFocus said:

Saw someone being clippered today, so maybe its both 

Think thats right actually - further investigation and its a barbers and a nail bar!  Can't imagine how there could be unmet demand for more nail options locally, but anyway, theres another one!

[BrandNewGuy]

2 hours ago, northernmonkey said:

Think thats right actually - further investigation and its a barbers and a nail bar!  Can't imagine how there could be unmet demand for more nail options locally, but anyway, theres another one!

The demand for nail bars is often from those who want to <cough> launder money <cough>

[Dulwich dweller]

On 24/03/2025 at 10:50, Sue said:

The proceeds of its sales are used for  rent, permanent staff (if any) and then the charity, presumably.

 

Do they pay rent?

• Volunteers generally staff these places bar the manager.

It's amazing how 99% of charity shops manage to exist. I mean the ones that shift the same donated brand for under £10. 

 

On 24/03/2025 at 10:50, Sue said:

also presume the £35 jeans were a "designer" brand and in good condition?

They were covered in gold, diamonds and made especially for a lucky bargain hunter willing to pay near full price for secondhand goods.

I mean vintage, up cycled  retro etc etc. 

Edited March 26 by Dulwich dweller
Spelling

[beansprout]

Try going to their  West Dulwich branch - certainly not cheap either but bear in mind that this does fund one hopes, or my understanding the hospice.. 

Charity Shops use to get reduced rent - no idea if this is still the case.

if you want bargains then go to Bromley High Street - plenty of charity hops there and once in a while BHF have a week  long promotion where literally everything in shop is £1.00. 
 

 

[Sue]

The other side of this is that in the past some charity shops had no idea of the value of some of their donations, and hence lost money which could have gone to their good cause.

I have a beautiful Zandra Rhodes jacket/coat which I bought from a local charity shop some years back for £20 (I think it was).

I've only dared wear it once, for a family member's "significant birthday"  celebration.

It is very distinctive, and also clearly labelled. The person who served me even told me I was getting a bargain, which begs many questions.

Oxfam have always seemed to be much better at pricing their more valuable donations, especially since they started selling them  online.

[Dulwich dweller]

On 26/03/2025 at 12:20, Sue said:

The other side of this is that in the past some charity shops had no idea of the value of some of their donations, and hence lost money which could have gone to their good cause.

The shops are only obliged to give 1% of there profits to their designated charity. The rest can be used for ' overheads ' and managers salary which are decent. Most staff other than managers are unpaid volunteers. In BHF's case they were using people forced to volunteer or otherwise have their benefits stopped.

As for valuing items there is a website especially for that purpose. I somehow doubt charging £35 for an item that cost £40 when new will be in that online book/ directory. But yeah it's Dulwich and if you can't afford things go elsewhere.

I stopped my regular visits to the Brixton branch of BHF after I offered support/ help to a volunteer who was clearly going through withdrawals and was visibly distressed. She informed me that she was a crack addict and had various mental health issues.  She was forced to volunteer for BFH or be sanctioned by the benefits people. Disgusting. I have never entered one of their outlets since.

It's a shitty industry in many ways is the charity sector but not if you're making a crust from it.

 

Edited March 27 by Dulwich dweller
Update

[Sue]

6 hours ago, Dulwich dweller said:

The shops are only obliged to give 1% of there profits to their designated charity. The rest can be used for ' overheads ' and managers salary which are decent. Most staff other than managers are unpaid volunteers. In BHF's case they were using people forced to volunteer or otherwise have their benefits stopped.

As for valuing items there is a website especially for that purpose. I somehow doubt charging £35 for an item that cost £40 when new will be in that online book/ directory. But yeah it's Dulwich and if you can't afford things go elsewhere.

I stopped my regular visits to the Brixton branch of BHF after I offered support/ help to a volunteer who was clearly going through withdrawals and was visibly distressed. She informed me that she was a crack addict and had various mental health issues.  She was forced to volunteer for BFH or be sanctioned by the benefits people. Disgusting. I have never entered one of their outlets since.

It's a shitty industry in many is the charity sector but not if you're making a crust from it.

 

Surely it wasn't the charity shop which made someone volunteer or be sanctioned by the benefits people?

Surely it must have been the benefits people (?DSS?)

Also, how do you know those £35 jeans cost £40 new? 

Apologies if you looked the price up, but some designer jeans cost a lot more than £40!

[Dulwich dweller]

1 hour ago, Sue said:

Surely it wasn't the charity shop which made someone volunteer or be sanctioned by the benefits people?

I never said it was. BHF were used as some sort of work experience scheme.

 

1 hour ago, Sue said:

Also, how do you know those £35 jeans cost £40 new? 

Because I know the brand and where they're sold.

 

1 hour ago, Sue said:

Apologies if you looked the price up, but some designer jeans cost a lot more than £40!

Depends who the designer is and how you want to define designer. Primark design jeans as do Armani. I mentioned the price I never mentioned the brand.

[Sue]

7 minutes ago, Dulwich dweller said:

I never said it was. BHF were used as some sort of work experience scheme.

 

Because I know the brand and where they're sold.

 

Depends who the designer is and how you want to define designer. Primark design jeans as do Armani. I mentioned the price I never mentioned the brand.

I'm getting too confused now,  for several reasons,  so I'm not going to continue this in case my brain explodes 🤣 

[Dulwich dweller]

12 minutes ago, Sue said:

I'm getting too confused now,  for several reasons,  so I'm not going to continue this in case my brain explodes 🤣 

Not to worry.

[Pugwash]

A couple of years ago or so, St. Christopher's lease ran out. they were put in a position to (a) find an alternative premise in a good position or (b) accept the new lease at greatly inflated price. I believe that price quoted was £50.000 pa.  ED is one of the more profitable shops due mainly to the demographic make up of the area. There is a paid manager (might even be 2). Rest are volunteers who cover the 7 days that the shop is open. I am informed that the St. Christopher's  shop in Lewisham High Street is much cheaper as is Penge. The majority of the Hospice's funding comes from these charity shops/fund raising events etc. Even more so now that the government has put additional NI contributions onto all health providers.

A relative of ours works in a hospice shop in Dartford having recently been appointed manager. When she first started she noticed that volunteers  were regularly been asked by customers to reduce costs of items. One had asked that a £3. item be reduced to 50p !  There are 'dealers' that go around charity shops trying to get items at a reduced rate and then selling them at inflated prices at car boot sales.

 

[Sue]

1 hour ago, Pugwash said:

A relative of ours works in a hospice shop in Dartford having recently been appointed manager. When she first started she noticed that volunteers  were regularly been asked by customers to reduce costs of items. One had asked that a £3. item be reduced to 50p !  There are 'dealers' that go around charity shops trying to get items at a reduced rate and then selling them at inflated prices at car boot sales.

 

That's terrible 😮

[beansprout]

Thought is was hospice policy not to reduce anything if asked - ie only hospice can decide if they will reduce items in shops not client

 

[Zak]

I understand that a new French chicken rotisserie called Norbert’s will be opening in the old Il Merto restaurant in Melbourne Grove next month.