KEY POINTS:
Wedgwood china, an Italian-made tuxedo, Art Deco lightshades - Auckland's Mercy Hospice chief executive Jan Nichols reels off the bargains she found in a Ponsonby shop. What's surprising is that Nichols unearthed the booty in an op shop, better known for their piles of mismatched crockery and worn shoes than expensive homeware and suits.
The not-for-profit sector is crammed with organisations vying for funds, and Nichols said the hospice had to diversify its fundraising efforts or it would not survive.
The bulk of Mercy's funding comes from the Auckland District Health Board, but each year the hospice must meet a shortfall of $2 million. To do that, it has opened four op shops in Auckland during the past two years, so far raising $1 million. The four, in Ponsonby, Pt Chevalier, Mt Eden and Ellerslie, each make about 100 sales a day, with each sale averaging about $20.
Nichols says mainstreet locations, modern signage and uncluttered interiors help identify the shops as a bit more upmarket and "not just another op shop".
"Setting a high standard stops the shops from becoming a dumping ground."
She also employs a retail manager for each shop to ensure they run smoothly. Each shop needs 25 volunteers, all of whom receive 30 hours of training which includes sessions on what the hospice and its philosophy is all about. The hospice provides palliative care services for about 900 terminally ill patients and their families each year, and staff make around 10,000 home visits annually.
Mercy's shops don't turn anything down but what doesn't fit the bill is recycled to other not-for-profit organisations such as Monte Cecilia or Te Waipuna Puawai. If staff aren't sure of a price tag they sell certain goods by tender. A complete china tea set recently sold for between $500 and $600, while a painting by a local artist reached $950.
Nichols says the venture's success is down to the community support each shop has received.
"Local people consider it is their community shop, not an opportunity shop and people are willing to give. They might be moving house, sorting their wardrobe for a new season or de-cluttering. They also appreciate their goods are not going to be sold for a song and will be used to support an important service."
It's been a busy two years for the team. As well as setting up the retail venture with 100-odd new volunteers, the hospice also had to raise its funding shortfall, fundraise for its new facility in Ponsonby and move there from Mt Eden.
The venture received good support from the local retailers and services discounted or donated. A location on Ponsonby Rd means rent there is a little higher but still "reasonable", Nichols says.
Mercy group retail manager Maria Baird says main street locations mean foot traffic is high, but op shops have become something of a destination for shoppers anyway.
Earnings from the four shops are expected to be $1 million plus next year. The hospice will open two more shops in Auckland.
Nichols, who is also a part-time lecturer at the University of Auckland, and involved in developing New Zealand's palliative care and cancer control strategies, says using the word "hospice" has not been as off-putting to customers as she thought it would be.
A former cancer nurse who branched out into palliative care and hospice management, she is proud of what the venture has achieved but says the role of the shops is not solely to raise money. It's also about raising awareness and getting the community involved.
The op shops' slogan, "turning second hand goods into first class care", reminds people of where the proceeds go.
"Most people fear experiencing life-limiting illness and death itself. They are unprepared for what might happen and don't know what services are available," she says.
"Our shops and the [staff] are helping to dispel some of those myths. Many have experienced the hospice's services first-hand caring for a friend or family member."
Another slogan staff work by is "don't put anything down" - it'll be sold.
