Just weeks after raising an incredible £2m for charity, Charity Super.Mkt is back in Reading by popular demand, with a new pop-up store running for 9 weeks at Hammerson’s destination, The Oracle.
The ‘department store for second hand style’ has unfinished business, and with a refreshed concept store opposite Levi’s, founders Maria Chenoweth and Wayne Hemingway are targeting runway success once again. During its original run, 30k were sold in just 68 days, raising £253k for charity.
According to TRAID’s YouGov survey, 65% of us now wear something second-hand - a renaissance spearheaded by eco-conscious Gen Z and Millenials. As such, Reading’s 23,000 strong student population makes it the perfect location for the store.
Charity Super.Mkt caused retail shockwaves last January when it launched at Brent Cross, Hammerson’s destination in London. For the first time ever, UK charities were innovatively brought together under one roof to raise money for good causes, completely changing our perception of second hand shopping. It has since toured the UK - including three Hammerson destinations - and returned to great fanfare this Spring to where it all started, Brent Cross, with two new concept stores which helped smash through the £2m mark.
The arrival and incubation of Charity Super.Mkt underpins a wider strategy from Hammerson to enhance its destinations by introducing new brands, concepts and market-firsts, which excite and engage customers. Through pop-ups at three Hammerson’s destinations Brent Cross, Cabot Circus and The Oracle:
● £1m+ has been raised for charity
● 134k pre loved items sold
● 39 tonnes saved from landfill
Wayne Hemingway said: “When we opened our first Charity Super.Mkt in early 2023 we had a hunch that the public were ready for a multi charity store that had great secondhand fashion, in a vibrant environment, all set to a fab soundtrack. We were right, and we soon realised we had created one of the UK’s hottest retail brands. The second ever Charity Super.Mkt was in The Oracle Reading and raised over a quarter of a million pounds for charities. We are so excited to be returning and the charities have been saving up some fab stock “
Maria Chenoweth, CEO of TRAID, commented: “Charity Super.Mkt is on a mission to make charity retail mainstream and increase its appeal. Returning to The Oracle is super exciting as this destination was our second store and instrumental to giving credibility to our brand and concept. Over a year on we have worked with over 50 charities and raised over £2 million, the social and environmental impact of this work is far reaching for all of us as a society.”
Sarah Tinsley, Director of Marketing & Placemaking at Hammerson said: “The continued success of Charity Super.Mkt demonstrates that with the right landlord support, new brands with a strong USP, can really thrive in the marketplace. Retail is evolving with a stronger focus on purpose and our vision for The Oracle, and all our assets, is to create vibrant multi-use destinations that have a significant social impact in the cities in which we operate.”
Charity Super.Mkt will launch on 13th June.
ENDS