Op Shops of Brisbane: Vinnies Eagle Junction

Op Shops of Brisbane is a series where I talk about charity shops I go to. Feel free to suggest a good one to me - I live on the north side but have been known to drive great distances for a good browse!

There's a bit of an urban legend about opshopping - that the nicer the suburb, the better quality the items you can find. I was over the posher side of town recently so my cousin and I decided to check out the closest op shop to Ascot we could find - Vinnies at Eagle Junction. 

Situated on the main road, parking is off street or across the road at the shops near the train station. Though a small shop, I found it to be packed with goodies!

Straight away I gravitated to the plus-size rack (yes, they have one) and found the urban legend to be real - Gucci, Ralph Lauren and the like were readily available! Of course, I can't tell the difference between a real and a fake when it comes to these things, so use your discretion.

They have a small bric-a-brac section, books and toys in the back rooms too. I didn't see much to attract the eye in the home/kitchenware department when we were there unfortunately. 

The volunteers were extremely lovely and helpful and everything was nearly organised. The front clothing section is more like a small boutique than a thrift shop, frankly! 

I highly recommend a look at this op shop if you're in the area - you never know what treasures you may unearth!

Find Vinnies Eagle Junction

281 Junction Road, Eagle Junction QLD 4011

Open Mon - Fri 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sat 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sun Closed
 

Op Shops of Brisbane: Save the Children Kallangur

Op Shops of Brisbane is a series where I talk about charity shops I go to. Feel free to suggest a good one to me - I live on the north side but have been known to drive great distances for a good browse!


This week we're looking at Save the Children Op Shop in Kallangur. It is a relatively new store to me, having only noticed it a few months ago. Either it has always been there and recently gotten a facelift, or it's new in the premises. Either way, it's great!

 

Parking tip - if there's no space out the front on the main road, turn into the shopping centre and park in front of the Salvos store next to the Red Rooster. Then you can hit both op shops at once!

 

What struck me when I first entered the shop was the extraordinary level of neatness and organisation. Although since this visit I have seen it in a few places, this was the first op shop I'd seen where clothing was organised by colour. It's very striking and so wonderfully convenient if you're looking for a particular shade!

There is a plus size clothing rack too (always an extra brownie point in my book) and a wide range of clothing for the whole family. I have found upon subsequent visits the clothes are mostly of the modern chain store variety, with a wide range of low- and high-end labels represented.

There is a wall of books and mags, and a few shelves with a small collection of bric-a-brac. I've seen Johnson of Australia there, along with some other nice crockery but not many other collectables. The majority of the shop is clothing.

I love visiting this shop because it is invariably clean, tidy and bright. Although small, I can often find something to buy. It's also one of the only two op shops within a half hour drive of my house that are open Sundays!

Save the Children Op Shop is at Shop 1, 1469 Anzac Ave, Kallangur QLD and is open Mon-Sat: 9am-4pm and Sun: 10am-4pm.

Op Shops of Brisbane: Footprints in Bracken Ridge

 

Op Shops of Brisbane is a series where I talk about charity shops I go to. Feel free to suggest a good one to me - I live on the north side but have been known to drive great distances for a good browse!

"Footprints" is my little charity shop secret. I overhead some women in another op shop talking about it once so I drove over to Bracken Ridge and managed to locate it behind the strip of shops on Gawain Rd. I think it is run by the Uniting Church, as part of their Uniting Care program.

And it is pretty gold. Chockers from floor to ceiling with stuff, actually. I used to just look at the bric-a-brac (mostly standard throwaway stuff but you can find the occasional Pyrex gem) but after I evolved into op shopping for clothes I started buying quite a bit of stuff here. The brands are of the middle-aged lady kind - ie. lots of Millers, but there are plenty of other labels to be found and the odd vintage piece too.

They have a large kids and menswear clothing, toys and a small range of tupperware (at the usual exorbitant prices) too.

I like this shop because the lady volunteers that man it are always lovely and chatty, and it feels like a little Aladdin's cave tucked away in the suburbs.

I hope you appreciate me sharing my secret shop with you all! Do you have one? Do tell!

Footprints Bracken Ridge Thrift Shop is at 57 Gawain Rd, Bracken Ridge QLD. I could not find the opening hours but it is definitely open Saturday mornings.

Op Shops of Brisbane: Lifeline Brendale

Op Shops of Brisbane is a series where I talk about charity shops I go to. Feel free to suggest a good one to me - I live on the north side but have been know to drive great distances for a good browse!

Lifeline's "Supastores" are always a treasure trove. Not only are they bigger than your average little Lifeline shop, the goods are generally of a better quality. Someone once told me they send the good quality furniture there, not sure if this is true!
 

 The Brendale Supastore is my local and in my opinion, the best one in Brisbane I've been to. For starters - it's huge. The space inside is cave-like. Secondly, they have a large range of things.

My favourite is the bric-a-brac and crockery. I think they've recently got a volunteer who fancies themselves a bit of an interior stylist as this area has been neatened and arranged much more nicely recently. I often find Johnson of Australia plates and mugs, and also the odd bit of American Pyrex. Plenty of English JAJ Pyrex if you like that sort of thing also. Endless glassware.

The clothing is abundant and regularly rotated. I am happy to report they do now have plus-size racks, a godsend for those of us who hate going through endless rows of ladies clothes sized 8-12. The brands are generally chain-stores like Katies, Millers and Target, but I have seen Bonds and even higher-end stuff like Seed there. There is a big rack of jewelry where I have picked up some lovely necklaces recently, and a huge range of shoes, bags and scarfs.

There is a large selection of books - and they have a shelf of "recent" ones too, which I think they try to keep stocked with the better quality novels that come in.

The kitchenware area now has its own Tupperware section, though the prices are too high for me. If you collect it though, there are often good 80s pieces to be found.

Other sections I don't visit - electrical, furniture, fabric and sheets (except for the occasional glance for any vintage sheets) and toys.

I highly recommend Lifeline Brendale - though I must warn you, DO NOT try to break up items marked as part of a set. I did this once unknowingly and the volunteer lady went off her tree at me for trying to buy one coffee mug instead of the whole mug/plate set!

Lifeline Brendale is at 4/256 Leitchs Road Cnr Kremzow Road, Brendale. It is even open on Sundays!