by Luke Voogt
Volunteer-run Grovedale costume store The Dress Up Place is fighting for survival with barely enough funds to last the year.
“We’ve got enough money to last us through to the end of Christmas because we’ve done a trivia night and sausage sizzle,” co-founder Julie Hall said.
“But we’re actually dreading the first six months of next year because it’s actually looking like we’ll have to close the doors.”
The Geelong institution would hold another trivia night at Uniting Services Memorial Hall, Grovedale, on 26 October to keep doors open, Julie said.
About half of the store’s volunteer workforce had a disability, she said.
“One lad has been with us for 10 years. We have three cancer survivors, three diabetics, two with epilepsy, a couple with OCD and a lady who’s deaf – she’s a very, very talent milliner.”
The store was losing business to the internet but people still often visited at the last minute when their online order failed to meet expectations, Julie said.
The store was a favourite for school productions, amateur theatre and Book Week, she said.
“Everyone says, ‘oh no, what are you going to do if you close, you’re such a valuable part of the community’.”
Email jhall@thedressupplace.com.au for more information.
