Segun and Camellia (left); Camellia, Suzy and Segun (right)
Camellia runs the Club Nova Thrift Shop as if it was a home. Tender and caring but extremely task-oriented, she is in charge of making sure the shop is successful and beneficial to members as the official "Thrift Shop Coordinator." Fortuneatly, this task is shared with two other Thrift Shop Staff Members - Ed and Suzie - and many Club House Members. The shop, with its creamy yellow walls, cluttered walls and stocked shelves is indeed home-like. Camellia oversees her home with a bright smile, careful words and calm energy.
A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Camellia began work with Club Nova in May of 2002. Since the Thrift Store's opening in August of 2002, she has essentially acted as the store's owner. On a daily basis, she concerns herself with the business realm of the shop: finances, advertisements, marketing and customer calls. With a host of Chapel Hill thrift stores competing against Club Nova for business, it has been essential that Camellia quickly build the store's reputation. While her work in the community to promote Club Nova is exceptional, it is inside the store's walls Camellia truly excels.
Camellia treats Club House Members and volunteers with a tender respect. She comes to work everyday ready to labor. She expects the same of them. There is a constant whirl of work to be done. For example, the mere process of getting clothes to the floor is quite monumental. Clothes must be taken from jumbled donation bags, checked for quality, placed in appropriate bins, put on hangers, tagged and then finally placed on the floor. Camellia is conscious of the daily demands to keep the store stocked. There is no room for laziness, so she is constantly doling work to members and volunteers. Her talent is to never seem demanding or bossy; members and volunteers alike genuinely enjoy working for her. If the Thrift Shop is a home, Camellia is successful in making sure the family is happy and productive. Club House Members help themselves as they help the store. [Hear speak about how the Thrift Shop helps members.]
Camellia also possesses a special talent in interaction with customers. She makes a point to greet every customer with a cheerful hello. Many customers respond to this warm greeting and become regulars, returning everyday to the store for shopping and company. With these customers Camellia truly shines: "Margaret, we finally got in a red pair of high heels you asked for last week!" "Roberto, the coat you're been looking at is on sale today." "Sam, we just got in a bike that might fit your daughter." Even language barriers can't stop Camellia. The majority of Club Nova's customers are Hispanic, speaking limited English. Camellia speaks limited Spanish. Yet, she is almost always able to answer inquiries or find someone who can. If the Thrift Store is a home, Camellia wants customers to feel welcome and cozy right up next to the cash register. [Hear Camellia speak about customer relations.]
Underneath this warmth is a woman fiercely fighting for her job. Club Nova Thrift Shop is a result of four grants: a $250,000 grant by Congressman David Price through the Housing and Urban Development in the Economic Development Initiative, a grant from the town of Carrboro, a grant from the town of Chapel Hill and, finally, a grant from the Cameron Charitable Trust and the Triangle Community Foundation. These grants are non-renewable, meant solely to pay for the construction, start up costs and salary of two staff members for one year. Come the end of 2003, the store must be able to support itself. Camellia is acutely aware of her responsibility to make the store financially successful. If she fails, she'll have to find work elsewhere.
Camellia's responsibilities are enormous: keeping Club House Members merry and busy, keeping customers pleased and keeping the store's wallet overflowing. She balances these responsibilities quite well, able to simultaneously wear almost as many hats as the store sells near the register. If her first few months as Thrift Shop Director are any indication, Club Nova Thrift Shop has a bright and successful future ahead of it, a permanent home for customers, workers and, of course, Camellia herself.
A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Camellia began work with Club Nova in May of 2002. Since the Thrift Store's opening in August of 2002, she has essentially acted as the store's owner. On a daily basis, she concerns herself with the business realm of the shop: finances, advertisements, marketing and customer calls. With a host of Chapel Hill thrift stores competing against Club Nova for business, it has been essential that Camellia quickly build the store's reputation. While her work in the community to promote Club Nova is exceptional, it is inside the store's walls Camellia truly excels.
Camellia treats Club House Members and volunteers with a tender respect. She comes to work everyday ready to labor. She expects the same of them. There is a constant whirl of work to be done. For example, the mere process of getting clothes to the floor is quite monumental. Clothes must be taken from jumbled donation bags, checked for quality, placed in appropriate bins, put on hangers, tagged and then finally placed on the floor. Camellia is conscious of the daily demands to keep the store stocked. There is no room for laziness, so she is constantly doling work to members and volunteers. Her talent is to never seem demanding or bossy; members and volunteers alike genuinely enjoy working for her. If the Thrift Shop is a home, Camellia is successful in making sure the family is happy and productive. Club House Members help themselves as they help the store. [Hear speak about how the Thrift Shop helps members.]
Camellia also possesses a special talent in interaction with customers. She makes a point to greet every customer with a cheerful hello. Many customers respond to this warm greeting and become regulars, returning everyday to the store for shopping and company. With these customers Camellia truly shines: "Margaret, we finally got in a red pair of high heels you asked for last week!" "Roberto, the coat you're been looking at is on sale today." "Sam, we just got in a bike that might fit your daughter." Even language barriers can't stop Camellia. The majority of Club Nova's customers are Hispanic, speaking limited English. Camellia speaks limited Spanish. Yet, she is almost always able to answer inquiries or find someone who can. If the Thrift Store is a home, Camellia wants customers to feel welcome and cozy right up next to the cash register. [Hear Camellia speak about customer relations.]
Underneath this warmth is a woman fiercely fighting for her job. Club Nova Thrift Shop is a result of four grants: a $250,000 grant by Congressman David Price through the Housing and Urban Development in the Economic Development Initiative, a grant from the town of Carrboro, a grant from the town of Chapel Hill and, finally, a grant from the Cameron Charitable Trust and the Triangle Community Foundation. These grants are non-renewable, meant solely to pay for the construction, start up costs and salary of two staff members for one year. Come the end of 2003, the store must be able to support itself. Camellia is acutely aware of her responsibility to make the store financially successful. If she fails, she'll have to find work elsewhere.
Camellia's responsibilities are enormous: keeping Club House Members merry and busy, keeping customers pleased and keeping the store's wallet overflowing. She balances these responsibilities quite well, able to simultaneously wear almost as many hats as the store sells near the register. If her first few months as Thrift Shop Director are any indication, Club Nova Thrift Shop has a bright and successful future ahead of it, a permanent home for customers, workers and, of course, Camellia herself.