Discarded skirts and trousers, ski items that have become too small, books read: For 40 years, the Ickingen second-hand shop has been attracting visitors with well-preserved goods at bargain prices. For the big birthday of all things, the volunteers are now forced to stop.
- Ickinger Secondhand Shop: After 40 years, the volunteers stopped selling with a heavy heart
- The trigger for the decision is the corona pandemic and a problem with young talent
- Over the years, more than 100,000 euros in donations have been collected
Icking - Ingrid Vogel (75) is sitting on the terrace in her garden and leafing through files that are scattered across the table. Every now and then a satisfied smile plays on her lips. Letters, reports, old photos: four decades of Ickinger second-hand shops have left her with many memories.
“But it is well known that you should stop when it's at its best,” says the 75-year-old. With a heavy heart, the shop manager decided to end the sale together with the other volunteers. "The decision was absolutely not easy for us," admits the Walchstadt resident.
Memories: Mountains of files have accumulated at Ingrid Vogel over the years.
© Sabine Hermsdorf-Hiss
The decisive factor for the closure was Corona. Almost all of the eight women now belong to the over-70 generation - and thus to the risk group. Vogel knows: When selling in the community hall, things were always tight. “In doing so, we are not only endangering ourselves, but also others. We don't want to risk that. ”The team is also faced with a youth problem. “I would have liked to hand over the management and continue in the team. But unfortunately we have not found a successor, ”regrets Vogel.
Icking: Second-hand shop faces a problem with young people
The second-hand shop was founded by the pastor's wife Fredericke Helmes. From then on, the mother of three Ingrid Vogel also went to the community hall to buy clothes. Just two years later she helped out herself, and in 1999 she took over the management. “People came from all directions, from Solln, Straßlach and Starnberg,” the 75-year-old says proudly.
Today, flea markets and clothing bazaars of kindergartens, schools and associations are the order of the day. Not to forget the sales platforms on the Internet. "None of these offers existed back then," says Vogel. That made the Ickingen second-hand shop something special.
Success: The girl no longer has to carry water. The second-hand shop donated a donkey for this.
© Repro: Sabine Hermsdorf-Hiss
The organization was always the same: goods receipt, sales. Final settlement. “Nevertheless, it was always exciting because we never knew what to expect.” Once a tall, handsome man bought a small green thong. "It was for his girlfriend, he told me," says Vogel and has to laugh heartily.
Another time a young woman tried on a chic ball gown. The customer liked the robe so much that she kept it on and rummaged through it. “The clothes are still used, the prices are cheap, and you do something good - it couldn't be better,” summarizes the retired secondary school teacher.
Second-hand shop: more than 100,000 euros in donations were collected
The team donated 15 percent of the profit to social projects. “We sold 80 percent of the clothes for less than ten euros. Nevertheless, over the years we have raised over 100,000 euros in donations, ”reveals Vogel. These went to Bread for the World, Doctors Without Borders, to Talitha Kumi - a boarding school in Palestine - and to the needy from the district. “It was so touching what we could do with the money,” enthuses Vogel.
It was so touching what we could do with the money.
Ingrid Vogel, manager of the second-hand shopDespite all the wonderful moments, the sale also meant a lot of work for the team. "I will definitely not miss it," Ingrid Vogel is certain. “But I'll miss all the contacts.” She closes the folder. The second-hand shop chapter is closed for you. “But I will definitely not get bored,” emphasizes the 75-year-old. "After all, I still have my grandchildren, the garden and the work in the neighborhood help."
The repair café in Wolfratshausen is also a means against the throw-away mentality. His concept: helping people to help themselves. People can help and see how to get their devices back on their feet.
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