The Up Shoppe helps women help themselves

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This article was published 29/10/2018 (2629 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Not only is The Up Shoppe a ‘gently used clothing boutique’ (among other household items) with great prices, it also offers assistance to women (and identified women) in the community who may be in financial distress. 

The Up Shoppe is actually a program that was set up by the North End Women’s Centre two doors down on Selkirk Ave.. It started out as The Clothing Club in 1994 then it became The Opportunity Shop in the basement of 453 Selkirk Ave. The name was changed to The Up Shoppe in 2004 and it set up in its present location at 384 Selkirk. 

I spoke with community economic development manager Kristi Beaune, who took the position about a month ago and seemed very enthusiastic to be involved with the Up Shoppe. She told me about the various ways the store helps women in the community. 

“I love it… it’s the best… because it’s a genuine, caring and supportive organization for the community and the staff.” 

“Our vision is putting women in charge of their lives.”

One of the programs offered provides on the job retail training for up to a year. Cheyenne, who was in the store while I was there, told me she was working there as part of the emergency wage program. She shared that “the program saved me, as my Hydro had been cut off.” 

Eligible participants can work for an hourly wage in the store to repay past-due utility bills and/or pay damage deposits in emergency situations. 

The Up Shoppe also allows women to work off their fines at the store. It provides essentials to women in shelters and also get referrals from the shelters, the Elizabeth Fry Organization, and North Point Douglas Women’s Centre, among others. 

The organization also helps with transitional housing for street-involved and/or street-exploited women who have substance abuse problems. They also offer aid in the form of clothing and other necessities to women who have had fires or have had to relocate suddenly.

Program co-ordinator Corrine Lougheed, has worked with the organization since 1994.

She spoke of giving gloves to school kids she would see walking by the store with bare hands in the winter. She also told me that at child tax credit time, on the 20th of every month, people line up outside the store for its very popular $5-a-bag sale. 

Every Tuesday is Toonie Tuesday and the store also hosts a drum circle at 6:30 pm. That’s pretty cool. 

Besides Corrine, Kristi and distribution co-ordinator Sheila Holt, five volunteers also help out. While I was interviewing the staff, some workers came in to figure out how to make the store more accessible for people with disabilities. They decided to make the access through the back door.  

For the past three years, the Up Shoppe has been involved with the Magical Mystery Thrift Bus Tour. For $10, a bus will pick up people at 1445 Main St. and bring them to four Winnipeg thrift shops: Sscope (1466 Arlington St.), Thrive (55 Spence St.), The Scrap Came Back (153 St. Anne’s Rd.) and The Up Shoppe between  9 a.m and 2:30 p.m.  There will be snacks along the way and a light lunch at the end.

Visit the website at www.upshoppe.ca

Doug Kretchmer is a freelance writer, artist and community correspondent for The Times. Email him at quidamphotography@gmail.com 

Twitter: @DougKretchmer

Doug Kretchmer
North End community correspondent

Doug Kretchmer is a freelance writer, artist and community correspondent for The Times. Email him at dk.fpcr.west@gmail.com

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