Save the planet, be tight-fisted. During these end-of-year celebrations, millions of children will be offered lots of toys. Good for them elsewhere. Except that most of these gifts will end up forgotten in the back of a cupboard after having been used for a more or less short time. Suddenly, at a time when it has become more than urgent to save the planet’s resources, isn’t buying new something heresy? In the ephemeral Atelier du Jouet store, located in the Euralille shopping center in Lille, customers no longer have any qualms about turning to second-hand toys to make their Christmas gifts.
The Toy Workshop is an offshoot of the Roubaix association ARI (Reintegration workshop) which works, as its name suggests, to reintegrate people away from employment. ASSO diversified into the niche of reused toys at the start of 2021. “At the time, we were still confined and we therefore had to deal with the only open structures to start the collections, namely nurseries, schools. and social centers, ”explains Guillaume Doye, head of the Toy Workshop project. The asso then extended its network by organizing collections in the neighborhoods. To date, it has 13 permanent collection points.
“A lot of customers come in thinking that we are selling new”
Supervised by employees of the association, seven people in reintegration sort, clean and repackage the toys which will then be sold to run the structure. “It is very rewarding for these people because they are not confined to a single task, they participate in the whole process”, continues the project manager. Including for sale in the sales unit made available (almost) free of charge by the Euralille center. And the place is not a toy market. “A lot of customers come in thinking that we are selling new,” laughs Guillaume Doye. Indeed, the items sold are clean, highlighted and the layout of the old jewelry store makes you want to go home.
According to the employee of the association, the customers are divided equally into three categories. “Those who have either an economic logic, or an ecological logic or those who flash on an object”, he assures. “Giving a second-hand toy is not a problem for me. With us, it’s the Christmas spirit that counts, not the price, ”insists Neiva, a native of Tourquenne who has just bought a book for her grand-niece. However, the price argument is not the least. What Guillaume Doye calls a great sale is a toy at 7 or 8 euros. “We never exceed half the price of new, or even less depending on the second-hand market on specialized sites. “
Anyway, the goal is not to make a profit but to find a balance. For its ephemeral store, the Atelier du Jouet hopes to reach 10,000 euros in turnover in December, which would allow it not to lose money. To make nice gifts and good deals, it’s not too late since the store will be open until the end of the month.