A new lease of life

Elsewhere they are common, but in Portugal, you can still count the number of second-hand shops on your hands. For consumer society, this type of business is on the fringe; viewed negatively by many and almost not at all by Portuguese society. However, the current economic crisis is adding a hitherto unseen momentum to the second-hand business – and the Algarve is no exception. The relationship between quality and price, as well as the variety of items available, cannot be ignored by the many families whose budgets are increasingly tighter. Equally, there are many entrepreneurs for whom the poor economic climate is just the opportunity they’ve been waiting for.

“Yes, we did think this was a good business in these times of economic crisis, but we also wanted to create our own jobs. We’d been unemployed for some time and we decided to take the risk,” say Catarina Cunha, 31, and Susana Pato, 35. They bought a «kid to kid» franchise, which is part of a network dedicated to buying and selling articles for children between 0 and 10 years of age. The recently opened store, next to Faro’s Municipal Market, has 5300 articles spread over 130 square metres. There is a bit of everything. “We have clothing, shoes, baby buggies, toys and all sorts of child care equipment.” The general rule is that items cost about a third of what they cost new. The average price is around €5. The savings are there but so is people’s resistance to the idea. “I think these preconceptions are disappearing, though. The crisis is forcing a change in attidudes. Everyday we meet someone who is happy to discover this philosophy.”

Ricardo Neves, 37, and his wife Susana, 38, also believe in the potential of this market. They brought the idea from Germany where they lived and worked for a while. When they returned to Olhão, the lack of well-paid job opportunities made them start their own business. They based it on a model that exists in neighbouring Spain – “cash converters” are shops that buy all types of articles from the public and resell them at a profit. “We decided to open something similar. Because this was a new concept in the Algarve, we were scared. But we took the risk,” they tell. On 31st October 2007 they opened their shop «Impecável». “We never imagined that the supply and demand would be so big!” Currently, «Impecável» is acting as a kind of broker/ middle man.

They offer their space and charge a commission when items are sold. They employ a team of four. The tiny shop lives up to its name. It has a smell of antiquity, not mildew. Music creates an atmosphere; there are books and jewellery; clothes are on hangers and there are changing rooms at the back. Those who have time to browse can find treasures at a good price. “Vintage” clothes, for example, are quite fashionable. Here a pair of designer jeans costs up to six times less. One of the items of jewellery is “a Portuguese guitar that is said to have belonged to one of Amália Rodrigues’ musicians,” says Carla Castro, 27. «Impecável» also has a warehouse for the collection and restoration of old furniture. They have a social conscience, too. Sandra and her husband donate a percentage of their profits to a local animal welfare organization.

The social component is the impetus behind some of the older and better known shops of this kind in the Algarve. José Arão, the regional director for REMAR, says that the business has a monthly turnover of twenty thousand euros. This business grew out of the need to support marginalized people – drug addicts, the homeless, the elderly and others on the edge of society. Their idea of collecting things that people no longer wanted, restoring them and selling them on has been operating in the Algarve since 1997. At the moment, this non-profit organization has two shops in Portimão – one only sells used clothing, the other furniture and decorative items. There is another in Loulé and a newer one that has been operating for 5 months in Albufeira. All the items displayed are donated. There is increased demand. “Yes, today people are looking for second-hand options particularly for more expensive items.” Everything from white-goods to sofas. “With €1000 one can furnish a two bedroom apartment,” he says. And quality? “We select items carefully. In this way we make it possible for people without means to find economical solutions. Foreigners use our services a lot because of the savings,” he says.

In Lagoa, the charity shop for the “Donkey Sanctuary” is becoming even more popular. “We all know what the situation is,” confirms Briton Linda Jenkinson, one of the 11 volunteers working there. We found her behind the counter sorting clothes. They only sell items in good condition. The money raised goes towards food and veterinary expenses for the many abandoned animals that fill Quinta São João in Estômbar. There is a similar store in Quartiera offering financial help to «Quintinha dos Animais» in Goldra. Who knows, you might find something there that would suit you…