The Store by GFB is a new concept from the Guelph Food Bank (GFB) to give clientele an option to shop for clothing.
The food bank has had clothing pop-ups in the past but now the store will be a permanent fixture.
Located at 100 Crimea St. the store is aiming to open at the end of October or early November.
“And so this allows them to come into the store and shop as if they’re a patron of any other store and you know a nice looking classy place to shop,” said Carolyn McLeod-McCarthy, managing director of GFB.
The store will include both used and new clothing.
Prices of the items will be similar to other thrift stores, she said. The store has to iron out the details for whether it will be a sliding scale model or vouchers.
The store has three and a half years worth of clothing to sort through since GFB often receives donations other than food.
The items getting hung up for the opening are clothing for the winter season with a variety of sizes and styles.
“But when they walk in the store they should feel like they're walking in and they're able to feel pride in what they're able to choose and provide for themselves and their families,” said McLeod-McCarthy.
Operating expenses of the store aren't known yet. “Actually the whole idea is to go fully into the food,” she said.
“But for the most part it's to help streamline a lot of our fundraising that can help with food procurement.”
From February 2021 to June 2021, compared to the same period in 2023, the GFB clientele has grown 120 per cent, McLeod-McCarthy said.
“Then you pair that with the fact that our donations have been going down by over 20 per cent. So we're more than doubled and yet our donations are going down,” she said.
“What I think is notable about it is that it's not just about putting food on the table anymore. So there's not just food insecurity,” she said. “If you don't have proper footwear for the winter you're going to suffer from the weather element.”
She said people prioritize a roof over their head and then everything else is secondary although food and clothes are necessities.
“It would be nice if it were a right and not just privileged to be able to afford those things,” McLeod-McCarthy said.