U-turn thrift shop opens at shopping centre

U-Turn Homeless Ministries has partnered with one of the biggest shopping centres in the city to open a new thrift store at the mall. 

The rent-free retail space forms part of the shopping centre's commitment to tackling homelessness in the Western Cape, said Vanessa Herbst, marketing manager at the mall.

U-turn runs a four-phase skills development programme to help people rebuild their lives after homelessness. 

The thrift shop, on the lower level in Canal Walk, forms a part of the work-readiness phase, where participants, known as “champions”, gain employment experience, earn stipends, and build confidence as they prepare to enter the job market.

 “We believe businesses have a responsibility to address social challenges within their communities. By providing U-turn with rent-free retail space, we’re helping to create a sustainable platform for skills development and community engagement that benefits everyone,” said Ms Herbst.

She said that the shop has already received a strong response from the public, generating more than R50,000 in turnover during its opening weekend.

U-turn’s spokesperson, Stephen Underwood, said the non-profit typically receives between 400 and 700 kilograms of donated clothing each month and expects this figure to increase with the new store.

 “Champions working in the shop also receive therapeutic support from U-turn’s team of social workers, occupational therapists, and life coaches. All proceeds are reinvested into the organisation’s programmes, covering accommodation, transport and further training,” he said.

The store offers a curated selection of high-quality preloved and new items, including clothing, shoes, accessories, household goods, and furniture. 

Donations are carefully sorted, washed, and quality checked, creating a modern retail experience that challenges perceptions of charity shops, he said.

Formerly homeless individuals such as Alistar Reynolds and Bianca Rabbaney have rebuilt their lives through the programme and now manage stores and mentor others, said Mr Underwood. 

“Their stories highlight the organisation’s mission to provide a pathway out of homelessness and towards long-term independence.”