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Photograph by Juliette Blasor |
USE/REUSE -- Some people's notion of a thrift store probably goes something like this: a dingy place filled with dusty old things and peopled with quirky characters right out of a Hollywood movie. Such places do exist; on the other hand, there are plenty of thrift stores that belie this description such as Ecomania in old San Juan, which is clean and attractive and the kind of store where any shopper with a few bucks in their pocket can while away some free time in search of a bargain, or a treasure. Thrift stores engage the imagination with the untold stories behind the myriad objects on their shelves and serve a useful role in the world of commerce as recyclers of still perfectly usable consumer goods.
A MANIA FOR ECOMANIA
IN a society of disposable goods, consumer objects have a short shelf life. Once used,sometimes infrequently or not at all, they are consigned to the rubbish heap or else discarded into the nether regions of a closet or the attic, never to be seen again. But what if you were to give these perfectly still usable goods a second chance and along the way, recoup a portion of the original investment?
THAT'S the concept behind Ecomania, a thrift store in old San Juan that operates strictly on a consignment basis, sharing a percentage of each sale with the owners of the merchandise. Since opening in March 2010, the store has become a magnet for sellers eager to unload belongings and buyers just as eager to pick up bargains.
FOR Evelyn Lopez, who teamed up with her sister Doris to start the store, Ecomania is not just as a financial venture but an expression of their environmental awareness. "Recycling is one of my priorities," said Lopez, a lawyer with a part-time practice." We have to be more conscious of finite resources."
SMACK on the corner of Luna and San Justo Streets, Ecomania operates out of a grand 2,100-square-foot locale on the ground floor of a restored three story apartment building. It's an airy space with lofty ceilings and the look of an old-fashioned ballroom. Furniture, clothing, bags, shoes, books, knick knacks of all sorts, jewelry and art compete for the buyers attention on shelves and tables painted in bright colors, green and apple red. Everything looks clean and in good condition, a requirement for any of the goods accepted for sale by the store under renewable three-month consignment contracts in which store and seller agree to share the proceeds of the sale in equal measure, or 50 percent each. The store's cut on furnishings and works of art is higher, 60 and 70 percent, respectively. Lopez sets prices based on information from clients who get paid the first week of each month for any sales realized in the previous month.
BESIDES helping to raise consciousness about the necessity "to value what we have," the store gives buyers an alternative at a time when they have less cash on hand because of the troubled economy. "A business like this was needed and people send us blessings which is very encouraging," said Evelyn one recent afternoon as customers, drawn by word of mouth, ambled around the store checking merchandise.
LOPEZ said she felt gratified about opening the store which luckily does not pay any rent since she owns the building. "This is the perfect business because (here) you can find useful things at very economical prices," she said.
ECOMANIA #251 Calle Luna, corner San Justo 787.204.3254 Open only on
Wednesday & Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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Graffiti on Loiza Street Photograph by Denise Blasor |
"What are days for?/Days are where we live./They come, they wake
us/ Time & time over./ They are to be happy in:/Where can we
live but days?" Philip Larkin
A TASTE OF INDIA: If you love Indian food, Ayurvedics in Old San Juan is the ideal place to shop for Indian products like spices, condiments, pulses (dals), packaged meals, and more. The store also stocks up on organic food products for both humans and pets, as well as healthy alternatives for common consumer products such as laundry detergent without formaldehyde.
Ayurvedics, #304 Fortaleza Street, Old San Juan 787.721.4369
RAIZA's JEWELS: Raiza Ascanio is a creative young woman who makes
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Courtesy of Raiza Ascanio |
colorful, funky jewelry out of unlikely
materials such as magazine pages or, more recently, prints of photographs taken by her equally talented artist boyfriend Franklin Rivera. She cuts out the prints into strips and rolls them into beads to make eye catching necklaces whose centerpiece
is a pendant featuring a small
laminated print of one of Rivera's
pictures. The earrings have unusual shapes and also highlight Rivera's work. Necklace, $20. Earrings, $10. You can reach her by phone at 787.409.9387 or e-mail to ascanio.raiza@gmail.com
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Copyright © 2011 Lorraine Blasor All Rights Reserved
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