Ballito daughter and mother-in-law Amanda and Kim Maidman are two women who, like most people, had a bit of extra time to think and refocus during lockdown. Think, refocus and plan. Unlike many though, they ended up actually executing their ‘lockdown plan’, resulting in a funky retail offering and a rather successful business!
Neither Kim nor Amanda are strangers to the North Coast community. Kim, having spent years in the second hand industry, has become well known for her ability to source and turn around beautiful items. Amanda is the founder of Scoop Homemade Ice Cream, which she started in her kitchen in 2014, and has now grown into two busy stores, one at the Ballito Lifestyle Centre and the other in Florida road.
When South Africa went into hard lockdown, Amanda says, she had time to sit back and consider her options. What if, for example, Scoop didn’t survive? (It did, by the way and has come back stronger than ever!). She and her mother-in-law, Kim, got to speaking.
“Kim has years of experience in the second hand space locally and really knows how to source interesting and excellent quality items. We decided to give it a go and combine her experience with my business and financial knowledge and start Second Hand Sisters.”
It was while they were in the planning phase that Amanda says her husband jokingly suggested they put the Scoop factory and Second Hand Sisters on the same premises. “We laughed it off initially, but then started to think about it and it actually made really good business sense to move out of what was then our factory space and share a space instead.”
The result? A fun, trendy second hand store where you can also buy delicious, homemade ice cream at factory prices and, if you want, a bed at the same time!
Besides the ‘ice cream and furniture’ angle, what sets Second Hand Sisters apart, Amanda says, is the fact that they truly believe that ‘one man’s trash, is another man’s treasure’. But they are not a pawn or ‘junk’ shop.
“A lot of people are selling beautiful items at the moment – some regular and some really high-end – for different reasons. Some people just need extra cash, others used the time at home to clear out and start fresh. We buy what they are selling,” says Amanda. “Our business plan is based on a system whereby we are able to collect and deliver items and we pay you within 24 hours for your goods. That’s our policy.”
And their store is choc-a-bloc with wonderful finds … from exquisite antiques, like a beautiful writing desk that is about to be shipped off to its new owner in Cape Town, to more modern pieces like good quality scatters, unique artwork and even crystal glassware. “We have items that vary right up from entry level to B&B standards and we even have a range of 200-thread percale bedding.
As for working together as a mother and daughter-in-law team, both Kim and Amanda agree it’s been loads of fun! “We really work well together. We both have our own strengths and passions and we don’t get in each other’s way. We’ve had so much fun setting this up and sourcing items.”
Another thing that sets them apart, Amanda says, is their weekly specials and ‘Kim’s Treasures’ that will be posted on social media. “Kim really has so much experience and knows how to spot a bargain, and our customers will really benefit from this!”
Details: Second Hand Sisters, Unit 4 Villa Commercial Park, 5 Garlicke Drive, Ballito, [email protected], 064 907 0333, FB: secondhandsistersza, IG: secondhandsisters_za
Text: Leah Shone | Photograph: Mary-Ann Palmer
