Why I believe in Community Thrift Stores

I am a thrift store shopper from way back. As a child, I raided my parents wardrobes for "dress-ups", and eagerly awaited the bags of clothes outgrown by my older cousins to dress myself in something "new".
As a teenager, my thrift store habits were driven by both the need to look different and the lack of money to afford to look the same (the latter fed the former).
So as I left home, I had already formed a strong love and appreciation for all treasures second-hand, and the collection of these treasures which fed my identity as an Arts student who wanted to make a statement, along with all the other 10,000 Arts students at my university.

Since making Whistler my home and taking on the amazing opportunity to work at what I feel is one of the very best thrift stores I've seen, I have learned to consider thrift stores in a different light. So often in the past I had failed to ask the question "Where is my money going?". There is nothing wrong in simply shopping at a thrift store for the great deals, but there is so much more to the decision to spend your money with a store such as The WCSS Re-Use-It Centre and The WCSS Re-Build-It Centre.

By shopping at stores like ours you are supporting and building community. The implication of spending your hard-earned money on items we're selling is the support of the organization's Mission and Vision:

Our Mission is to provide programs and services that improve social sustainability in Whistler.
Our Vision is to be the prominent social service resource in Whistler by responding to the changing needs of a diverse Whistler community.


All items sold at our stores are donated as goodwill. This means we are able to direct all funds generated to our programming. This set-up is unique in many ways; you as a customer are able to see the results of the money you've put towards us in the local community.

Our community thrift stores are not just about the money though- we work to foster connections and networks of locals and visitors, those who make a visit to our store part of a weekly (or sometimes daily) ritual, both for the quiet browsing of our racks and shelves, as well as to bump into the others they know who are also loyal shoppers. Our volunteer program has been given new life thanks to the awesome Sarah, Assistant Manager, which gives anyone a chance to help out, see how the store works, and contribute to generating even more money for our programs.

We aim to create a welcoming space, with a fun but relaxed environment so you can feel encouraged and supported in your decision to shop and meet your needs with items that have already had a life elsewhere. Community thrift stores give you the ability to say no to consuming unecessarily and adding to a planet already filled with things. So walk with a spring in your step knowing you're wearing a North Face GoreTex jacket you bought for $30, going home to bake in a Pyrex tray you found for $5, and settling down to read a best-seller you snapped up for $2.

I believe in Community Thrift stores like The Re-Use-It Centre and The Re-Build-It Centre for all these reasons and more. I hope you do too!

Helen, Manager at The Re-Use-It Centre

Stories: The Neverending Tales of the Missing Boot

A strange phenomenon:

Here at Re-Use-It Centre, staff and customers alike are often perplexed by single shoes going missing. Of course, it tends to happen with particularly awesome boots, which makes us think they go missing on purpose, except for the fact that we can never find the darn things anywhere in the store!

Sitting in the office currently: half a pair of brand-new Ride Snowboard boots. We are trying to find them for a customer who'd be very excited to have them. Now, snowboard boots are not easy to hide. We checked all the usual spots, and nothing!

Sometimes customers who have fallen in love with the singular boot they've found look at us with suspicion when we attempt to explain that sometimes, "boots just go missing".

My theory is that they go to the same place socks go, but wherever they are, they're driving us all crazy!


-Helen, Manager at Re-Use-It Centre

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Christmas is right around the corner now, as surprising as that might seem!

Over the weekend we had our annual Christmas sale, a way of showing appreciation to our beloved customers for their support throughout the year. We enjoyed our coffee from Starbucks, our treats from IGA Marketplace, and the general goodwill and cheer of all our customers and staff.

It's a special time of year, with the snow falling. Whistler is a beautiful place to live, but we do take a second this time of year to think about those in need within our great community. As a program of Whistler Community Services Society, The Re-Use-It Centre aims to generate funds to support the 25+ programs run by our great team.

By shopping at Re-Use-It you are not only getting great deals on the necessities and the luxuries, you are also saying that you care about your community by investing in them. Every dollar spent is helping those in need, whether it be with food from Food Bank, emotional support from our Outreach team, or support building life skills, such as the Community Kitchens.

This close to Christmas, we want to thank you for your support and encourage you to continue making the choice to shop with us, or donate your unwanted items to us. You help to build and sustain the kind of community we are all proud to be a part of.

A huge thank you from the WCSS Re-Use-It Centre team!

- Helen, Manager at Re-Use-It Centre




If you want to know more about how your purchases at Re-Use-It Centre help our community, please visit www.mywcss.org for a full list of our many social service programs.

Stories: The Tale of a One-Piece Ski Suit.

Those of us that are seasonal working holiday types are well-known for our love of ridiculousness on the mountain. The truly dedicated own a one piece ski suit, all the rage in earlier skiing years, referred to fondly as the "onesie". Now, they actually are practical for several reasons, the main being that on a powder day you are safe from the phenomenon known as "powder down the pants".
(It’s exactly what it sounds like.)

One piece suits are never flattering, and if picked correctly, are a little too tight (you'll find it's normally men that go all out with an inappropriately fitted onesie), and are either patterned to look like an old couch, or have trimmings of neon. I say this with the arrogance of youth; at 26, I missed those years on the hill in the 80s and 90s where the one-piece was the height of fashion and sophistication.

I still do not own a onesie, despite being positioned in the very best spot to secure one, the WCSS Re-Use-It Centre. There was one onesie I fell in love with one time...

It was the Fall of '09. I was new to Whistler, Canada, and thus new to my place of employment, the WCSS Re-Use-It Centre. I was working as a cashier one day, minding my own business when a customer with a gleam of fanatical excitement came to the counter. This gleam was one I had come to know quite well in my so-far short term of employment at the thrift store, it being that of someone who has found the perfect Something, and cannot believe their luck.

He was an Australian gentleman, and in his hands he had the most beautiful onesie I think I have ever seen. It was bright red. it had gold embroidery on the back, and a hood with a red fur trim. It was a thing of beauty, a sight to behold...

With my heart breaking a little, as I knew this onesie could never be mine, I sold it to the excited Australian man. I could see love in his eyes. Who was I to get between soul mates? I sold the onesie to him for a very fair $20, sighed to myself and let it leave the store.

I thought of the onesie from time to time, but I never saw it on the mountain. I did keep my eye out, but I did not see it on Australia Days or Gaper Days for the next two seasons.

Just the other day my household had a barbeque. I introduced myself to the guests that arrived, and got to chatting with a nice Australian boy. As always happens, we covered the "how long have you been in Whistler" and "where do you work" segments of the conversation. Upon discovering that I worked at the Re-Use-It Centre, the Australian boy proceeded to tell me about his best find at the store (this also often happens: occupational hazard). Lo and behold, this was the very same Australian boy who had purchased the heavenly red onesie all those years ago!!!

I discovered that he had spent 20 of his last 40 dollars (at the time) on the onesie. I discovered that he had been offered $1000 for it on the hill one day, and he had refused the offer. His female housemate thinks it is hideous, but he doesn't care: he loves the onesie, and it shall travel with him back to Australia when he finally leaves this place (we did not establish when that might be, for, who really ever knows?).

It is a true and pure love he has for the onesie. I am so happy that such a beautiful thing found such a warm and appreciative home.

There will be more stories to come- if you want to share with us, we want to hear your stories! Get in touch via phone or email- details listed below.

--Helen, Manager at WCSS Re-Use-It Centre

The best way to get a bargain at the WCSS Re-Use-It Centre:

Firstly, everything in our store is a good deal! Our stock is 100% goodwill donations that have come from the community. Some of it’s new, but most of it has already had a life, and comes to us as our beloved seasonal population leave town in March, April and May. A lot of it is barely worn and simply won’t fit into the suitcase when time comes to leave.

We aim to price our stock in a way that is fair, to provide affordable necessities (and luxuries!) and to generate enough money to support our growing list of community programs.

Secondly, we like to think of the WCSS Re-Use-It Centre as a never-ending treasure hunt. We have fresh stock coming in every single day (which other store in town can say that?!) and we never know what’s going to be in the boxes and bags of donations brought to us. This constant flow of items means that if you want to find bargains, you might get lucky with a one-off visit, but you’ll definitely find all sorts of things you never knew you needed (hot pink onesie, anyone?) if you visit us even once a week. It means that if you’re looking for something in particular, put it out there to the universe, or whatever you believe in (my step-dad Jon puts out such needs to St. Jude, the patron saint of lost things) and then follow-up with regular visits until it manifests.

The more practical among us might make a point of checking in with the staff (phone us on 604-932-1121 and ask, if it’s something very specific) and taking advantage of our 2 hour hold policy, which gives you time to get down to Function to collect it, or to convince your significant other that you cannot live without it, or to find a vehicle to transport the item home…

Thirdly, wait patiently. If you’ve found an item that you want but you can’t afford, or you’re not 100% convinced that you need, wait 3 weeks and take 50% off the price! You’ll notice that nearly all our items have a dated price tag, which means they will be reduced if they sit on our shelves longer than 3 weeks. This is the best time to swoop in on a deal, as long as someone else doesn’t swoop in on it first!

Our clothing rotates too, so every week a different color is on sale. Ask the cashier or look for our signs around the store so you know which color tags will sell for 50% off. Also, check outside on our marked down rack.

Now you’re equipped with these skills, let the bargain-hunting begin! I personally always enjoy pairing a thrift store session with breakfast or lunch, and there are a few lovely places to eat and drink nearby: Burnt Stew Café, Cracked Pepper Café, PureBread and WildWood Café. Also, bring a group of friends with you to laugh at you trying on too-tight one-piece ski suits, or give you an honest opinion on a pair of jeans, or to give you a reason to buy an item you can’t justify on your own… after all, that’s what friends are for!

See you soon.

Helen, Manager at WCSS Re-Use-It Centre

Introducing: Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS) Re-Use-It Centre

Welcome, everyone out there in the community who is taking an interest in YOUR community store, the WCSS Re-Use-It Centre. We have so many stories to tell at the store here, every single day of the week. The store has a rich history which I’m delighted to be discovering in snippets and anecdotes, shared by all of you as you come in to see us in Function Junction. We celebrated our 12^th Birthday this year; I’ve been on board for just over 2 years but can already appreciate just how unique this store is, in such a vibrant community.

We’re a go-to for household items when you move house; for costume-wearing occasions (there is no shortage of them in Whistler); for an inflatable boat to take down the river; for a board or set of skis you don’t mind beating up in early season; for a Volcom hoodie at a tenth of the price it costs new; for boots to get you through Fall’s puddles… and for everything else in between!

The store is also a meeting place for locals, a warm dry place to ask directions (and de-thaw your hands and feet), a place to spend an hour browsing books or re-vamping your wardrobe.

We have a lot of fun down here, we survive the Spring move-out when all our seasonals leave town (and the piles upon piles of bags left behind). We work in the best place in Whistler, where work is one big treasure hunt.

We thank you for your support and we urge you to share stories with us; to remember the first amazing treasure you found on our shelves, to tell us everything you’ve loved over the years and every idea you’ve had for ways we might become an even better place to shop.

I hope you enjoy this new endeavor. We are your community thrift store, and we want to get to know you better!

Stay tuned …

Helen Taylor: Manager at WCSS Re-Use-It Centre