Goodbyes Collingwood

As teenagers, Monique Thomas and Olivia Mangan hung out in op-shops for fun, hunting second-hand clothing on their student incomes. In 2015 they founded Goodbyes to help others enjoy the democratising experience of shopping seconds first.

The clothing and accessories group aims to make shopping second-hand more desirable than buying new. Its hybrid consignment model – where staff consign clothing donated by the public – means it can offer a broad range of quality pieces at fair price points. And it’s working: in addition to this location and the Brunswick original, there are now stores in Prahran, Canberra and Hobart.

The Collingwood store is near the intersection between Smith and Johnston streets and attracts shoppers on their lunchbreaks or on their way to evening drinks. The racks are brimming – don’t worry, they’re colour coded – and stock rotates regularly so you’ll likely encounter new goods with each visit. Expect to find Australian and New Zealand labels, international designers, hype streetwear brands and well-made basics in masculine and feminine styles.

Like the rest of the family, the shop’s design is industrial leaning – open-plan, clad in light-grey concrete with sage-green details throughout. Floor-to-ceiling windows display highlights from the store’s current offering, hanging the silhouettes from chains.