Charity Super.Mkt is a cool new pop-up store that brings together different charities under one roof, selling a curated mix of second-hand clothes. They currently have a pop-up store in St James Quarter, Edinburgh, following a successful pop-up at Glasgow Fort.
We spoke to Maria Chenoweth, one of the founders of Charity Super.Mkt, to find out more about how the idea came to life, the future plans for the business and her top tips for second-hand shopping.
How did you come up with the idea of Charity Super.Mkt?
M: I have been in charity retail for 30 years, and I’m also the CEO of TRAID, which is a charity that promotes ethical and sustainable fashion. Our mission is to get as many people as possible wearing second-hand clothes. My business partner Wayne, is an urban designer who organises events like the Classic Car Boot Sale. 23 years ago, we launched our first second-hand clothing concept on Oxford Street in Topman, and we’ve been working together on and off since then.
In between all of that, we were going to the Charity Retail Association and listening to charities who really wanted to become more mainstream and capture Gen Z. It was a combination of those factors, our different backgrounds, history of working together and listening to charities that led to this concept of Charity Super.Mkt. We wanted to create a new concept that would appeal to the younger generation and make charity shopping more mainstream and fun, like a department store where you can find a curated selection of clothes from different charities under one roof.
Do you have any permanent stores or do you move around different locations?
M: We don’t have any permanent stores yet, but we have a calendar plan for the rest of the year. We set up pop-up stores for six weeks or longer, depending on the demand. We have only been going for around six months, so we would like something more permanent in a very high footfall, central location in a city. Where that will be, we don’t know yet, so that’s quite exciting.
How does Charity Super.Mkt work?
M: Each charity has its own section in the store, and we have a centralised till system that redistributes the money back to the charities. We also have cool branding, DJs, music and an overall great shopping experience.
We let the charities select the clothes that they want to sell, and they save up the stock specifically for our locations. We only ask them to donate quality clothes that are wearable and fashionable.
What are the benefits of shopping at Charity Super.Mkt?
M: The benefits are huge. You can find unique and affordable clothes that suit your style and personality. You can also support different causes that are funded by the charities, such as animal welfare, children’s rights, end-of-life care and many more. You can also reduce your environmental impact by reusing clothes instead of buying new ones.
Where would you like to see the business in the next five years?
M: We’re still working on getting charities into the spaces and places that they can’t access. I would like to design a new business model that would make it more profitable for charities to retail, and that would also benefit the surrounding areas.
Charities have been seen as a bit of a blight on the high street, but they can be really productive and generate footfall and income. What I want to do is create additional revenue by retailing in places that aren’t competitive for the charities and causes themselves.
Is there anything in particular you would encourage people to donate more?
M: Quality is what charities really want. They’re not textile recyclers; they’re all about reuse. So think of clothing as currency that can do good things, whether it’s to help animals, children or provide end-of-life care.
Do you have any tips for second-hand shopping?
M: My top tip is to save time by using this trick: if you get the waistband of a pair of trousers, skirt or shorts, and wrap it around your neck comfortably, it will fit your waist. This way you don’t have to try on loads of clothes that might not fit you.
When you’re buying second-hand and wearing vintage, it’s about having fun. It’s love going out and dressing up. I don’t really mind too much what people think about me. It really enhances my character somehow. It’s fun and creative, the best way to shop.
