Holly Mastrogiamcomo was regularly asked by out-of-town customers who came into her Guelph-based consignment boutique shop where the other thrift and consignment shops were in the city.

So she made a map for them.

“People were coming into the store, whether they were from Kitchener, Waterloo or Elmira and they were spending the day or the weekend in Guelph. They were talking about how they wanted to shop more consignment and thrift,” said Mastrogiacomo, who owns Smitten Apparel on Grange Road at Victoria Road South.

“So I kind of made a hand-drawn map for them, and I had been photocopying it for about a year and a half.”

Mastrogiacomo eventually applied for and received a grant from the Guelph Tourism Department that led to producing the maps. Now customers can find their way to 16 thrift and consignment shops.

Holly Mastrogiacomo received a grant from Guelph Tourism to produce professional looking maps to guide thrifters to 16 shops in the city. (Source: www.gatheringuelph.com)

Working with 15 other stores

The 16 stores on the map now work together recommending locally-owned thrift or consignment shops where they might find a specific item they’re looking for.

“We recommend each other all the time,” said Mastrogiacomo.

“I get ladies coming in saying ‘I’ve been sent up from Consign Your Curves’ and I do the same. I say, ‘oh, you know, Consign your Curves might have this or Wild Rose might have this. Or if you’re looking for Blundstones, maybe go to The Attic. If you’re looking for cowboy boots, maybe check The Patch.'”

Mastrogiacomo says working with the other thrift and consignment shops has been a positive experience.

Maps can be picked up at all the thrift and consignment stores in Guelph or downloaded from the Guelph Tourism website.