Repeats founder retiring from Charlottetown, P.E.I. thrift store after 25 years

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The founding father of a locally-owned thrift retailer is stepping down as a consequence of sickness.

Repeats High quality Used Household Clothes founder Nadine Ramsay is thought to many in the neighborhood for her nurturing spirit.

“I couldn’t let you know what number of children she has that decision her Grammie Dean, that aren’t associated to us,” stated Mary Matthews, Ramsay’s daughter and co-owner of Repeats, when she spoke to SaltWire Community within the break room of the shop on Capital Drive Aug 2.

“She’s Grammie Dean to many. She’s a beautiful, fantastic lady, inside and outside,” stated Matthews.

The choice to go on the duty as supervisor and costume maker at Repeats didn’t come simply, stated her daughter.

“She actually is a fighter and wasn’t able to retire, for 78 years outdated she would have stored going so long as she might. She … continues to have some medical points, so she actually has no selection (however to retire),” stated Matthews.

25 years in enterprise

Ramsay hasn’t been on the retailer for some time, however prospects nonetheless ask about her.

When Matthews shared the information of Ramsay’s retirement on social media, feedback and reminiscences poured in.

“Mother treats everybody like they’re her household. That’s what’s at all times been particular about Mother,” stated Matthews.

Ramsay opened the shop in 1996, promoting used garments imported from a U.S. provider.

Because the enterprise grew, she additionally discovered a distinct segment in promoting new costume gadgets year-round.

The shop additionally accepts donations, which they curate, wash, mend and promote with pink tags, with proceeds going to breast most cancers analysis.

“May you ask for far more in choice?” stated one shopper, gesturing to the rows and rows of clothes, costumes, sneakers and jewellery. She was reluctant to share her identify for worry her husband would see her thrifting.

She stated procuring at Repeats is a method she retains prices down, which permits her to assist out her grandchildren.

One other shopper was searching for a cowboy hat and was comfortable to see a big choice on the cabinets within the costume part.

In the meantime, within the shoe part two buddies had been, “simply procuring, passing time.”

Household enterprise

Mom and daughter every have their specialties. Collectively they ran the shop and had been the one full-time staff till Ramsay’s sickness.

“I could do payroll and admin stuff, however Mother actually did all of the little issues, like, the mending of one thing, stitching on buttons,” stated Matthews. “It might be nothing for a buyer to come back in at Halloween time and need a fringed vest and he or she’ll take it and sit right here – they usually wait – whereas she cuts all these fringes.”

Matthews was sitting on the break room desk, her fingers miming scissors.

“She would cater to her prospects. She actually did.”

However enterprise hasn’t at all times been clean crusing. A hearth shuttered the shop for 14 months in 2014 and 2015.

Matthews stated she urged her mom to retire then, however quickly realized why Ramsay held on to her retailer.

“After we had the grand opening, that’s when it actually sunk in to me how vital is was for her right here. Folks coming in – it was like a household reunion and Mother walked on air. I don’t know if her toes even hit the ground, she was so happy and so proud. It simply made all of it worthwhile.”

That’s when Matthews grew to become a co-owner. She had been working alongside Ramsay since she retired from nursing, so it was a pure step to associate up.

“I nonetheless put in the identical quantity of hours,” she stated. “I at all times tried to minimize Mother’s load.”

The busines has additionally efficiently emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We managed to remain open and hold our prospects protected and did all the things we might via COVID.”

Why are among the tags pink?

Repeats High quality Used Household Clothes accepts clothes donations from the neighborhood from which they donate 10 per cent of the proceeds to breast most cancers analysis.

The whole lot they soak up is sorted and something stained is tossed out. The remainder is tidied and tagged with a pink price ticket, to tell apart it from the remainder of the stock.

“It’s time consuming, however we’ve at all times felt actually good to do what we do,” stated co-owner Mary Matthews.

Coming years

Ramsay started to really feel a bit unwell in Could, and from then a swift decline noticed her in hospital till lately.

Ramsay is dwelling now and again to eager about the shop, stated her daughter.

“I miss her right here daily, consider you me,” stated Matthews.

She would like to see her mom again within the retailer a number of hours at a time – so long as she felt as much as it, in fact – maybe placing collectively a number of of her signature Halloween costume kits, or making among the black halos that no provider appears to inventory, nevertheless it’s not clear if that may occur.

For now, Matthews will attempt to fill in.

“It’ll be laborious to fill these sneakers, whether or not I might ever measure as much as her, however I’ll attempt,” she stated.

“I hope to do what Mother did. That is her child. I hope to maintain it going so long as I can – make Momma proud.”