Today I went with Mum to the decommissioning of their church op shop, James Place, named after St James Union Church. It has been a fixture in her suburb of Tauranga for over 48 years, and was mostly staffed by volunteers, of which Mum had been one.
When we got there we were surprised to see the shop had already been all but stripped (including the models in the window!) as they had received notice from the landlord that they needed to be out by the end of the week.
Unfortunately Covid lockdowns over the last couple of years and competition from the many other secondhand shops in the area now, have taken their toll. The shop will move to the church hall.
It was a sad day, but those who attended are also hopeful that the community will continue to support them at the new James Place.
