SVDP’s Society Shoppe

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Tucked away in the corner of King Street and Prince Road, Saint Vincent De Paul’s re-sale “Society Shoppe” has come a long way since days passed of twenty, tiny stores.

While thrifting wasn’t a popular trend in the beginning, and customers found themselves shy shopping, it has grown to five large stores. “We still work in the quiet, we’re still tucked away from the busy main streets,” says Rosanne Winger, the general manager of the chain of boutiques.

While the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul has been circling the Windsor and surrounding areas since 1896, the King Street location celebrated its one year anniversary on September 27th.

So how does the Society Shoppe work with Saint Vincent De Paul? “Our goal is to feed and provide the basic necessities for the people of Windsor Essex,” answers Winger. It consists of going to a home and assessing their needs (such as bringing them food) and providing vouchers for Society Shoppe locations, she said.

Winger explains, “we want to give the people freedom to shop. We’re not going to hand them a pile of clothes in a size eight and say ‘here you go, this is what you’re stuck with.’ We want the people to keep that dignity and pride of theirs, and pick out what they want on their own.”

Because the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul is a registered charity, all items in the Society Shoppe locations are priced by guideline (not personal judgement on brands), and are tax-free.

“We are still striving to get our name out there, as there is a lot of competition – but we believe with our unique program, low prices and events, we’ll break that quiet streak.”

You can visit the King Street Society Shoppe location, to donate or buy, Monday through Saturday, from 9:15 am until 5:30 pm. For information on other locations, please visit www.societyshoppe.org, or call 519-253-7481.