Monbulk Op Shop

MONBULK’S Opportunity Shop is urgently seeking the aid of the community it has been helping for more than 30 years.
The shop’s closure is fast becoming a reality unless it can attract new volunteers to keep it open, and current volunteers are crying out for new faces.
Located opposite Monbulk Primary School along Main Street, Monbulk, it has built its reputation on helping less fortunate people afford essential clothing and goods while investing proceeds into Monbulk Primary School.
Wendy and Richard Hollow, who manage the shop, said a volunteer drought has lead them to fear the Op Shop would close.
“If we can not get the help we will have to close its doors,” Mr Hollow said. “We have 12 to 15 volunteers at the moment.
“But some people can only work once a month or once a week, so we probably need an extra five volunteers.”
The Hollows said the Op Shop had already reduced its trading time to limited hours over just four days of the week as volunteer numbers grew weaker.
Ms Hollow said a majority of volunteers were moving to other second hand goods stores such as the MS Shop further up Monbulk’s Main Street.
But she said the Op Shop catered for a lower socioeconomic end of the market and also provided second hand uniforms to needy families of Monbulk Primary School students.