A stroller, shell and carrycot set for 90 euros, a coffee table for 12 euros: business is going well at the new pop-up shop installed in the Pont du Routoir district in Guyancourt (Yvelines). Since April 3 and until the end of June, the AMD Yvelines association, created in 1993 to provide food aid to families in the Versailles area, opened a location opposite its Braderie Solidaire, in the patio of the shopping center Louis Blériot located behind the U Express.
Furniture, sofas, children's beds... You can find new and second-hand products at unbeatable prices. And one thing is certain, the concept quickly found its audience. “There are people, it’s Ikea on a Saturday morning,” says the team of volunteers in unison. “People are happy to find furniture for 10, 15 or 20 euros,” confirms Dominique Debesse, the president.
Open to everyone, the store offers new items at a price divided by two or even three and second-hand items brought by generous donors. “We have partners like Leclerc in Bois-d'Arcy or Auchan in Vélizy who donate foodstuffs to the association but also unsold non-food items, these are objects which are removed from the shelves either because the packaging is damaged, or because management no longer wishes to sell them,” explains the manager.
But why a pop-up store? “The starting point was that we had a significant stock of bulky items but our Solidarity Sale did not allow us to organize a sale because there was no space,” confides Dominique Debesse. On the other hand, we cannot afford to open for more than three months because we pay rent to the landlord Versailles Habitat. »
The funds generated by sales contribute to the operation of the association, in particular the purchase of fuel for the collection truck.
Opposite, the “resource center” dating from 2020 is a real Ali Baba’s cave. Toys for 0.50 euros, dishes for 1 euro, children's pants for 2.50 euros... Space is optimized as much as possible. “It’s great, it’s not expensive at all,” reacts a customer accompanied by her two children. In addition, the ladies are very, very nice. »
The revenue generated by the two stores, open every Wednesday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., contributes to the operation of the association, in particular the purchase of fuel for the collection truck and foodstuffs when donations are not enough to properly support families.