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Filed under: Charity, Society

27 comments

I like Bowral’s Bong Bong Street as much as the next person who appreciates nice food, beautiful furniture and pretty gift shops. And that’s especially in the cooler months when even though you’re only 90 minutes from Sydney you’d be forgiven for thinking it was much further.

Bong Bong St Bowral

But as relaxing and escapist as that can feel it doesn’t mean that I don’t expect real life to exist there too. Or that many of the people working and living in the area don’t all live in a beautiful bubble of Southern Highland’s privilege everyday of their lives.

So the decision of 60 local shopkeepers to sign a petition that prevented the town’s St Vincent de Paul store being moved to a more prominent position in the main street because it could “de-value” the area is not only selfish, it’s reckless and socially irresponsible.

As ‘High Country Gent’ posted on The Land website this morning: “What a pack of snobs living in an over rated over priced area.”

Bowral’s St Vincent de Paul store has existed in its current location for 14 years and as Marion Frith the NSW communications officer for the organisation put it – the shop means more to people than “just a second hand pair of jeans”.

In the past six months alone the Bowral store, run completely by volunteers, has assisted 740 local residents. And that’s with anything from food and power and electricity vouchers, to accommodation and services for children, migrants and refugees all completely without cost.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald online Joseph Buhagiar, the regional president of St Vincent de Paul says they’ve been looking around for a more promiment spot for the Bowral store for over five years. Their current location, a few kilometres out of town, makes it hard for anyone without a car to access.

When you consider that all the money generated from sales of the shop’s furniture, clothing and ‘bric a brac’ is considered “fundraising” that goes 100 per cent directly back into the local community, it’s easy to see how quickly a more promiment position in the town could boost the amount of people they ‘d be helping out on a daily basis.

And that’s a hell of a lot more than what’s achieved from browsing through the racks of Witchery or the plush book shop that send out their wares in brown paper shopping bags.

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27 comments

Show oldest | newest first

- Chris Roubis says:
  
  05:02am | 12/08/10
  
  The only thugs I’ve seen in the area is the Bowral Police..
  
  Someone send me the petition to sign please..
  
  Reply
- MissMyM says:
  
  07:11am | 28/02/10
  
  The snobbery against Vinnies is the least of Bowral’s problems. There is a failed car dealer, failing real estate agent, soon to be a failed landlord offering his gun to his mates to solve their problems with hoons and vandals. This ex policeman chases them down the road in a drunken stupor instead of calling the police! Its only a matter of time. Not only is Bowral full of snobs its full of thugs.
  
  Reply
- Mirabai says:
  
  06:40am | 26/02/10
  
  Vinnies is already situated on the main street (Bong Bong Street) and is one of the first shops you come to if you’re travelling from Sydney, not “a few kilometres out of town” or “hard for anyone without a car to access”. It has a huge carpark to the rear, front and rear access, although no proper wheelchair/pram ramp - however it’s easier to get into than it would have been than down the stairs into the new premises.
  Yes, there has been a lot of snobby-sounding commentary but opposing the snobbery has been a lot of media hype embellishing facts and the subsequent outcry from the public that we’re all snobs in Bowral (and inbred, I hear) is just brainless bandwagoning.
  
  Reply
- Arthur says:
  
  04:30pm | 25/02/10
  
  Well the saga continues. Certain members of the Bowral Chamber of Commerce have been silencing critics with the threat of spurious legal action. Spurious it may be but it’s enough to intimidate.
  
  Reply
- Kate says:
  
  07:46am | 18/02/10
  
  Great post Lucy. Surely these shop keepers feel quite embarrassed now. I ahve a friend who has fallen on really tough times. She was just telling me yesterday how differently people treat you when you are poor. She has been a business owner with a lovely home and a pool, a great car and holidays. Now she has to negotiate government departments, repossessions, being locked out of a storage space where all her worldly possessions are stored because she is in arrears and so on. For all of that, it is the way people view her that really hurts - like she is less of a person with no feelings to hurt. Little bit off topic but this sad notion of superiority portrayed in your post set me off. Vinnies do great work.
  
  Reply
- Brian says:
  
  03:50pm | 17/02/10
  
  Where do you live Lucy ?
  
  Mittagong aka Penrith on the Highway….....get the chip off your shoulder.
  
  Reply
- John says:
  
  08:49pm | 16/02/10
  
  As op shops go up market and and become acceptable places to shop for Gen Y, they begin to offer unwelcome competition to established retailers. The Chamber of Commerce’s snootiness is really a cover for their members’ fear of market forces.
  
  Viva Vinnies!
  
  Reply
- Lucy says:
  
  05:40pm | 16/02/10
  
  I am also ashamed to be living amongst such inconsiderate and uncharitable people.
  
  Who gave these shopkeepers their false right of superiority?
  
  If anything, they should be thankful to Vinnies for being brave enough to move into their undesirable area.
  
  Honestly, I think the real reason for their upset, is that the rubbish left outside Vinnies, will make the ugly cane furniture and hippy lanterns appear more unappealing than they already are in comparison.
  
  Do any tourists actually venture down this end anyway?! What customers will they lose?
  
  It seems not only are Vinnies downgrading in their locality, but neighbourly spirit as well.
  
  P.S.
  Lucy, you may be interested to note Vinnies is currently well within a hundred metres of Bowral station and the “Paris Quarter” of the main street alike, not a few kilometres from town as you have stated here.
  
  Reply
Lucy says:

08:54pm | 21/02/10

mmm… I’m a different Lucy to the one who posted just before me!
So many Lucy’s
Lucy Kippist says:

09:54am | 17/02/10

Hi Lucy (nice name!)
I think this is a great point . I also love browsing through Vinnies for retro stuff and I have a friend who has the best collection of clothes because up until recently she always shopped exclusively in second hand stores. Thanks also for the correction on the location of the store.
- Lucy says:
  
  04:24pm | 16/02/10
  
  Whenever I’m on holidays and I spot a Vinnies in a small town I always pull over and have a look. Not because I’m poverty stricken, but because I love 50s design and Vinnies is a great place for picking up such retro furniture, homewears and clothing. If the shops around Vinnies interest me I might also have a wander around, maybe have a coffee at a nearby cafe. I’m not the only one too. I know a lot of people on fairly reasonable incomes who love second hand shops for similar reasons. In this respect, Bowral’s main street shops surely only stand to benefit from having a Vinnies store in such a prominent location.
  
  Reply
- Grant Boyd says:
  
  02:43pm | 16/02/10
  
  Your picture of Bong Bong St doesn’t do Bowral justice. It is a pretty little thriving town that has long been a weekender destination for the wealthy and tourist alike . The locals stoicly put up with all the downsides that these weekend visitors bring. Yes, the place can be snobby and you can tell which boutique is a tax write off for some bored wealthy matron just by the disinterested offhand service, so we vote with our feet. But you can also tell which businesses are run by non snobby families, all having a go, but burdened by ridiculous rents and trying to cater to weekend clientele. I know three business owners in this category who have everything invested in their businesses, and surely they have the right to protect their livelihood, and voice their concerns over any development that may de-value their businesses. I don’t think the 60 business petitioners are uncharitable, they are probably doing a better job of due diligence than Mr Buhagiar. How do you stop donated items from being dumped on the pavement outside, what about vehicular access, and how can a charity afford to pay such exorbitant rent. There are other cheaper and more suitable properties available within the town, than where they are now. Mr Buhagiar’s beligerent response to these legitiment petitioners (that includes sooling A Current Affair onto a hapless retailer) reeks of a win at all cost corporation rather than an underdog charity run by the goodwill of the local community!
  
  Reply
Arthur says:

08:49am | 28/02/10

What would the REAL facts be, Casper? I think we can all agree as fact that 60 or so business people decided to sign a petition to get Vinnies off the main street. That’s 60 against 1. 60 mostly anonymous cowards who signed a petition, that is not publicly available, who are now keeping very quiet. 60 people prevented Vinnies from increasing it’s charitable revenue. Why wouldn’t we saddle up the “moral high horse”?
casper says:

08:58pm | 25/02/10

I agree grant… Julie McDonovan and arthur obviously only believes what the media tells her and doesnt bother to get the REAL facts, boycotting stores (many of which have NOTHING to do with the campaign) is a GREAT solution… get off your moral high horses
Arthur says:

04:40pm | 25/02/10

Yes Grant, your friends do have the right to protect their livelihood but not at the expense of other businesses. Vinnies have the same rights as any other business in the street and I’m sure that a case could be mounted in the courts against the kind of bullying and anti-competitive behaviour that these petitioners have indulged in. Also, have you noticed that Vinnies have been in the main street for 15 years or so? There hasn’t been a rubbish problem to date. Oh and Mr Buhagiar’s “beligerent response” would be in response to the initial beligerence of the petitioners. Anyhow, whatever your opinion may be, many of us will be boycotting Bowral main street.
Julie McDonovan says:

04:10pm | 17/02/10

What a load of rubbish… I think someone is a bit touchy about where they are from. Fact is - Vinnies should be allowed operate whereever it wishes. It does a lot more than most of the shops of the strip that profit the owner or big shareholder. At least Vinnies are making money to help people in the community. People that these snobby locals probably don’t even know exist as they are too full of their own self importance. Go Vinnies. I for one would like to see less commentary and more action and an outcome that would see Vinnies move into its new property asap.
- Bob says:
  
  02:05pm | 16/02/10
  
  I spent a week working in Bowral. I am suprised that so many people were able to rouse from their slumber long enough to sign such a petition. Vinnies probably supports half the towns GDP.
  
  Reply
- stephen says:
  
  01:35pm | 16/02/10
  
  Yeah where do these Bowral people think they are, Toowoomba ?
  
  Reply
- Kelly says:
  
  01:15pm | 16/02/10
  
  Shame, shame, shame on all who signed that petition!
  
  Reply
- exzilerate says:
  
  01:06pm | 16/02/10
  
  Its Gods waiting room folks as is Moss Vale just a little bit further on. Places to be avoided at all costs by people who count themselves as actually living !
  
  Reply
- oldaussie says:
  
  01:01pm | 16/02/10
  
  I’ve never been to Bowral, but judging by that picture it looks extremely boring. No wonder they named the main stream after a water pipe, there’s probably bugger all else to do except get stoned. Is it supposed to be regarded as some kind of cultural center?
  
  Reply
- E. says:
  
  09:54am | 16/02/10
  
  How ridiculous. The main street of Bowral, proudly called “bong on” road by local teens, is hardly the epitome of class.
  
  Vinnies would breath life into a street full of Beryl’s hideous dresses and ye olde fleabag cafes.
  
  Reply
- Darren says:
  
  07:44am | 16/02/10
  
  from talking to some locals I understand that the real objection by many of the locals is that they want Vinnies off the main drag so they wont be spotted dropping in to pick up their bargains…...
  
  Reply
- kcmg says:
  
  07:23am | 16/02/10
  
  Bowral is god’s waiting room so these “snobs” will soon fall off the perch and sanity and a sense of community will prevail.
  
  Reply
- John says:
  
  07:00am | 16/02/10
  
  Well said. I’m ashamed to share a town with these selfish snobs. As soon as I get a copy of the petition I will be using it as a “where not to shop” guide.
  
  Reply
casper says:

08:50pm | 25/02/10

the petition actually has alot of businesses on it that have nothing to do with the campaign, and i hope the person who created it gets sued for defimation
hamish says:

11:12am | 16/02/10

pretty sure you need to give it back once you get asked to sign it