Bagging a bargain

  IT IS 09:30 ET the queue 20-deep before loading Canadian Cancer Society Charity Irish (ICS) at the Castle St Cork.

The first woman in the queue has been here since 7:00, in the hope of buying two pairs of leather boots. Your friend wants to buy a Louis Vuitton handbag. To be different in the queue for fear once silent inside gazumped.

"It's a free-for-all is here in a minute. I give my dinner for a handbag," said one lady.

Inside the employee by the Managing Director Elaine Corkery are informed. These are the "purse" and sales window "textbooks", which always draws a lot of attention. The bags, which are now on display at the counter of the store look-a-like D & G (€ 70), Fendi (€ 25) Louis Vuitton (20 € - 50) handbags. Sandwiched between them is a hidden gem - an original red leather Hermes Birkin bag (150 €, retail prices are between € 1,000 - € 10,000), complete with gold padlock.

At 10 clock, the doors opened and the women (and two men) tip, gently their bags of choice on the counter pull to save. The lucky few hang several handbags while surfing the rest of the store. A baby is left in his car in the middle of the store while his mother tries to sell books. By 10:07 all handbags are gone, the trestle table was lifted, and the store passed to ping cash.

"All I wanted was a Radley bag, I would have paid anything," says a satisfied customer. Anntho Tshimanga Annie and Congo are with their bags with Chanel and Guess (€ 9.50) forward labels. Lastovkova Eva is on vacation in the Czech Republic and got a Louis Vuitton bag.

Jamie Cullinan has a winter coat women caught red Coast (€ 65) on behalf of his boss. Currently on vacation, she had already been discovered in the window, and asked him to buy for her on the day of the sale. Ensor from New Zealand, Chris had just finished his night shift when he jumped and I bought a tester raw blood pressure in a green leather case (€ 35) as a surprise for his girlfriend doctor.

Martha O'Brien appeared wings of Hermes Birkin bag in a brown paper bag. She joined the queue for five minutes before the store opened, and just plain luck.

"One lady had a bag and I asked him to take it, and she was not, so I did it. I recognized him when I saw him in the window and I called the store a few days ago to see if it would be for sale. I have "a similar black home, says O'Brien.

The department is also busy ledger. Due to study Biochemistry at UCC in October, Wayne Coleman, a textbook for college jumped € 12.50 instead of buying new buy for 100 €. "I was lucky that our list of speakers has its books was early. I saw a few years secondary and post-graduates in the queue," he said.

Another lady supports up pouch with a wide range of courses in psychology books, all greatly reduced. "This is extreme, but we get a certain amount every day," says Corkery who organized a sale themed window every three weeks.

"Fifteen years ago there were people who are ashamed to visit her life, seen walking through the door. Had an element of snobbery have. But one of the positive things that has made the Celtic Tiger in the industry that this is a bit like has to go a laugh and the unusual, vintage stuff. it a destination store, "she said.

During the day, everyone goes through the store, buy a wide selection of products: a candle-making kit, gold cufflinks, curtains, towels, coats men, candle stands, games and baby. A wise man navigates the matching clothes rails, while a journalist appears in his lunch break to buy a book. An elderly woman buying buying dolls for her granddaughter and a woman is a leather belt for her husband. A large deviations from the model type in the store before finally throwing a handbag green leather. Regular customers to discuss with the staff as they make their purchases.

To reassure customers, Corkery is that charity shop should look and feel like any other business. "You do not want the people who come here feel an element of humiliation to her. Should be a pleasant experience, and that is why we have invested in plant and equipment, use cubes of size and does not return old hanger. It will be as close to a normal store anywhere. no body under the impression that it has something to do with poverty, "she said.

While the economic downturn has not significantly affected the profit (in fact, there was a 3% increase in earnings this year Shop ICS) has, the staff had to adapt to the changing needs of their customers.

"The need has never been greater, and there are people who always need to clothe her family and. People are much more selective in what they purchase and impulse buying is definitely a thing of the past. People come up with something specific they need to buy if a winter jacket or update their child's wardrobe. We have our prices are adapted to to help people, "says Corkery, who manages 40 volunteers and three part-time.

"We keep our children's clothing at a very low price, which means that a mother can be a little too mean to sit for a few euros. Afford There are enough cheap products here for everyone," she said.

In 15 hours, there is a temporary break. A young man falls in love with a bag full of good clothes ironed, and it is immediately brought to the floor storerooms. Anything that does not fit or non-portable comes with the freedom of recycling, textile recycling plant and charity in Dublin.

Pat, a volunteer in the department of book re-arrange the books in the window for sale next month. With a selection of books on local and national history, including books by Frank O'Connor, WB Yeats and Maurice O'Sullivan, the showcase of charm collecting requests throughout the day. However, the staff has a strict policy of no price is until the day of your purchase.

"I have people come in and ask how much it would be to buy the entire window," says Pat

"But the staff maintains the integrity of the sale window refuse all offers until the doors open on the day. This is the only way people can be trusted.

"You see people out there looking at the books, and you know that they know a lot about books. Ask if they come in and, you know, you have a plum in the window," said Pat, who is using the Internet and other sources to determine the price of rare books.

ICS relies on public donations and collections van. However, they must now sell to cash-for-clothes shops and collectors of counterfeit clothing for export to the European market to compete. "Our van drivers have been working with us for a long time and people know who they are and tend to her stuff, especially for us. This is mainly due to the links that most families have at this stage of the cancer, unfortunately . But people can sometimes be wrong, too, "says Corkery.

"People are incredibly generous. Literally everything we met a needle to an anchor. Over the years we have had fantastic antiques, old games in China have become highly collectible and regularly gives a lady Armani held to 15 at a time.

"We are very happy, we have the favor of the three possibilities: .. donors, volunteers and customers without any of the three, you'll get nowhere."