I have decided to cover off some of the most sensational op-shops in the Dunedin area.

The first op shop worth mentioning is the hospice shop next to Spotlight. If you’ve just come from the sweaty maze of town and are looking for somewhere to break this is your spot. The main attraction here is the amount of good quality cd’s and books lying around the place. Seriously these cd’s will make you want to get your own player as the shelves are filled to the brim with Elvis, Nat King Cole and occasionally even some Taylor Swift. This humble little store is definitely worth a trip and is located right next to the mighty Salvation Army store.

The Salvation Army store definitely does not have the same vibe as the hospice shop but, it always has a busy feel and the store is pretty broad in terms of what it offers, overall it’s solid.

Next is Save Mart, the bread and butter of any op shopper. For all its reputation though, Save Mart seriously doesn’t offer enough and can be on the more expensive side.

At the end of the day these are all good stores, providing cheap clothing alternatives for those in need. What these stores allow is for any individual to freely express their own beliefs and values. Often each shop has a chaotic energy with various odd bods located in strange locations. But isn’t this a better alternative to the regimented department stores which have thousands of identical products on the shelves for everyone to buy?

So on your next visit to an op shop you may not find any designer clothes or tunes for the cd player but you will come away with something that is distinctly you. 

Hugh Askerud