First Week At The Seton Store

 

    My first week! Coming into this week I was anxious and did not know what to expect as to what I would be doing or what my experience would be at all. However, I quickly realized I did not have anything to fear because I was warmly welcomed in by all of the staff, who walk me through everything and I can ask a million questions to, immediately. I spent a majority of my Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday shifts tagging, sorting, and hanging clothes. While it may sound boring, it ended up being relaxing and enjoyable in a weird way. I was also able to see all of the clothes being brought in, and the criteria clothes have to pass to be put on the floor. I spent a lot of my day on Thursday sorting clothes from donations and determining what we would sell, and donating clothes that were too dirty, smelly, or had rips or missing size tags. The picture to the right is what my week looked like; tagging and hanging clothes, however this has become one of my favorite tasks now. The picture below is two of the many racks of clothes we filled this week, this was a good way to see how high quality the items the Seton Store sells are.

            Something that I’ve seen a lot of this week, and is a core value of the Seton Center, is allowing a dignifying shopping experience for all customers. We were told during our orientation that their customers should always feel worthy and valued while they shop. We do a lot to uphold this; the staff is constantly sorting through items donated and making sure that they are items of quality and value. The prices are very affordable for people who may not be able to afford to shop elsewhere, but the items are still held to a high standard to protect the dignity of customers. We also try very hard to make sure the store is put together, clean, and arranged nicely. When I walked in for the first time, I was shocked because it did not even look like a thrift store. This was something I appreciate about the center because while they are providing services for the low-income community, they are still treating them as equals and with respect.