EAST ALTON – AJ's Resale Shop, located at 611 Berkshire Court in East Alton, is hoping to breathe new life into the Berkshire area of East Alton.
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Owned and operated by Jesse Walker and Allen Collins, both of the Riverbend area, the resale shop is in its seed stage at the moment, offering new and retro fashions, music and various other items one could expect to find in a local resale shop. Walker said his goal is to make the establishment a “blessing to the community,” adding they sell items such as bulk laundry detergent to families in need of such items. Collins said they work to feed the community as well, adding they allow children to play some of the musical instruments at the shop.
“Kids will come in here and pick things up and do what they can, and we show them a thing or two,” Collins said. “We try to work on mentoring in an educational and musical fashion.”
Both Collins and Walker said they hope to expand their resale shop, saying they will sell things donated to them or that they purchase from customers and community members they trust. Collins said they were also looking for some consignment opportunities in the future.
“We're next door to a lot of places, like AA,” Collins said. “We have Alcoholics Anonymous nearby, and we want people to be able to come in here and get some good new clothes while they are out there trying to get their lives together. A lot of people in AA are looking for new clothes and shelter and jobs, and we want to be there for them for what they need.”
Since opening Jan. 13, the pair said they have been well-received by the community, saying they have been kept busy throughout their opening hours. They are celebrating their grand opening this week, and many articles in the re-sale shop have been marked down to celebrate it.
Along the walls of the shop are vintage records, including Prince, Curtis Mayfield and N.W.A. Walker said those albums are not necessarily up for sale, but are there to establish a good atmosphere.
“When people come in here and see these albums, they feel at home,” he said. “They know these albums, they like these albums. We play them sometimes on the old record player here when people come in.”
Collins and Walker each said they hoped the business, as well as the Berkshire Plaza, grow and create more life and opportunity for the area. Collins said he is from Alton and has experience working with groups such as Alton Main Street. He said he wanted to help bring what he has learned from the culture of Alton's small business growth to nearby communities.
