'Vinted' meets the high street with new children's clothes store

A new independent Salisbury shop is giving quality second hand items a second life – while putting money back into the pockets of local families.

Hand Me Down Salisbury is a new preloved shop for families from maternity through to starting school. The store in Cross Keys Shopping Centre will host a Grand Opening next Saturday (29th August) with children's activities and ‘tasty treats’, clothing repairs and upcycling demonstrations.

Founded by local mum Jacqui Machin, Hand Me Down Salisbury will sell everything from maternity and nursing clothes to children's clothes, toys, pushchairs, highchairs and other baby equipment.

Every item will be sourced from local families, with the family who originally owned it receiving a share of the proceeds when it sells.

Jacqui, who previously worked as a sustainability professional, helping large retail businesses become more environmentally friendly says, “The shop's model is designed to take the hassle out of selling the things children quickly outgrow. Rather than photographing items, writing listings, answering messages and arranging collections or postage, families can simply bring their unwanted baby and children's things into the shop and let Hand Me Down Salisbury do the work.

“Customers can book a drop-off slot through the shop’s website and bring in good-quality, clean items to be sold on their behalf.”

Items will be displayed in the shop for three months, with sellers automatically notified when each item sells. Sellers could then receive 25–40% of the selling price, which can either be paid directly into their bank account or used to shop at Hand Me Down Salisbury – with a 10% bonus added when they choose to spend it in-store.

For Jacqui, the idea combines two things she cares deeply about: making life easier for families and reducing waste, “Children grow out of things so quickly, and most parents have cupboards, lofts and spare rooms full of perfectly good clothes and equipment that someone else could really use.”

“I noticed a gap in the market. People aren’t donating quality items to charity shops anymore. Instead, they’re turning to online marketplaces like Vinted and eBay.

“I wanted to create a simple, local way for families to pass those things on without the hassle of selling online – while keeping the money within our community.”

The shop will also include a community corner, giving local parents somewhere to stop, sit and take a breather. Parents will be welcome to feed their babies, let children play, have a chat with other families or make an emergency nappy change.

“Sustainability can sometimes feel like a huge, complicated problem,” added Jacqui. “But passing something on to another family instead of buying it new is a really simple thing that anyone can do. It saves money, avoids waste and means resources stay in use for longer. If we can make that easier for local families, everyone benefits.”

Hand Me Down Salisbury will officially open at the Cross Keys Shopping Centre on Saturday 29th August, with the opening celebration running from 10am–1pm.