How many is too many?

How many op shops is too many op shops? And how many op shops can the 4000 people of Katikati sustain.

There's already four op shops in town and a fifth is about to throw open its doors.

Waipuna Hospice will be opening a 'second hand shop” in the main street of Katikati in two stages, the first on Monday.

'As a care provider, the hospice has been a part of the Katikati community for quite some time” says Waipuna business retail manager James Turner. 'And having a second-hand store presence was beneficial to both the community and the hospice.”

But down the road at the town's original op shop, the arrival of Waipuna Hospice has created uncertain times.

The Goodlife Opportunity Shop has been operating in Katikati for 31 years, providing lifeblood to various charities in town like the foodbank and the school breakfast club. But its ability to do its work has been eroded since the arrival of the other op shops. Business has been halved.

'Each time another has come along it has impacted” says Glenys Goring, manager of the Goodlife Op Shop.

Is she worried for the future of Goodlife? 'Yes, I do have a bit of a concern” says Glenys. Is there room for five op shops in town? 'That will become apparent in time. When they (Waipuna) get up and running, we will soon know what's happening.”

This is not criticism of Waipuna, it's a concern about the charity dollar being spread thinner and the effectiveness of that dollar.

For example Goodlife used to give the foodbank $250 a month. 'But we have had to cut that back to $150 because when the fourth op shop opened it made a bit of a difference to us. We weren't getting in as much money.”

There doesn't seem to be any bad blood, it's just a commercial reality.

'I don't begrudge Waipuna” says Glenys. 'Because they do a wonderful job. But we would love to think we do a wonderful job too.” And being a hospice shop, Glenys says Waipuna will get a sympathy vote.

Waipuna Hospice says due to the changing demographic of Bay of Plenty there's an increasing demand for its services. 'And there's an increasing need to fundraise to fill the gap the government does not meet” says Waipuna's James Turner.

The hospice needs to raise $2.5 million this year, or $48,000 per week.

When Goodlife set up shop, it aimed to keep its money in town. 'But we had requests from service groups in Tauranga which were assisting children here in town so we started giving to them.” But the proliferation of op shops and reduced income has seen those grants cut back too.

Glenys Goring isn't sure how it's going to work out, or what it's going to mean for Goodlife.

'Waipuna will be doing furniture which will go down really well. We don't have the space. But when it opens it's bound to impact on us. Yes it will.” And they say it's 'a slight possibility” they may have to close.

Waipuna Hospice provides care to about 1000 patients with a life-limiting illness each year. Last year its nurses made more than 8,640 visits and 20,648 phone calls to patients from Waihi to Paengaroa.

The focus is on care at home, but the hospice has a nine-bed inpatient unit for short term admissions and day services. A total of 110 staff and 700 volunteers support all components of Waipuna Hospice's service.

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