Bequia’s boutique thrift store expands and moves up

‘Encore’, Bequia’s boutique-style thrift store which launched in June 2022, is expanding into new waterfront premises after a hugely successful first 18 months on the island.

The store, which sells high quality pre-loved clothing, books and homeware at bargain prices in aid of The Sunshine School for Children with Special Needs, is moving to approximately 2000 sq ft retail premises above the gym at the O’car end of Port Elizabeth, a release states.

“We have been overwhelmed with the popularity of Encore and desperately need more space to sort, and show the amazing items we have for sale,” says Encore’s co-founder Suzanne Gabriel.

“Our customers love the variety and quality of items we are able to offer, and are always looking for more bargains. Our new premises above the gym in Bequia is very much bigger so it means we will be able to meet that demand. It also has dedicated parking and a dinghy dock which will make life much easier for both our donors and our shoppers.”

Serving the island’s residents and its many thousands of visitors, ‘Encore’ is manned solely by volunteers and relies on donations of items to resell. Indeed, that is how the store got its name – by providing an opportunity to give a ‘repeat performance of something much loved and appreciated’.

Since its opening, the store has benefited from financial support from community group Action Bequia, an environmental pioneer which instigated the island’s recycling program in 2016 and which is a big supporter of ‘re-using’ and ‘re-homing’ unwanted items.

In its first 18 months, Encore has received and sold a wide variety of items, from furniture to floating docks, guitars to generators, fishing rods to food mixers – and of course masses of books, clothing, jewellery, kitchenware and more.

Mrs Gabriel stresses the importance of donations to Encore: “We all have things at home that we don’t want or need any more. Perhaps a dress that no longer fits, a bag you never use, a set of dishes that have now been replaced, or a cushion that no longer matches the décor. If you think someone else might love it, we can find it a new home and the island’s children with special needs will benefit.”

The Sunshine School is a not-for-profit institution, which through education and love, helps students aged from 5 to 20 to reach their full potential. It is dependent on donations and private fund-raising efforts. It currently has 20 students with a complex variety of special needs including Autism and Down Syndrome as well as deaf, non-speaking and slow learners.

Donations can be left at the store during opening hours (Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9 am – 1 pm), or at The Sunshine School in Port Elizabeth on any weekday during term time (9 am – 2 pm) or at The Bequia Tourism Association.