Having long been touted as “Beijing’s answer to the Salvation Army,” goodwill group Roundabout is now taking its setup a step further. Nearby its secondhand shop in Shunyi, the charity will open a new boutique to raise funds for needy Chinese children on Apr 28. What’s more: this new shop will provide a platform for local artisans to sell their handmade wares, with 30 percent of their sales going toward Roundabout goodwill efforts.
Charlotte Beckett, Roundabout’s volunteer director, says the new shop will also be a boon for Shunyi dwellers. “There’s a gap in this part of the city, so we thought it would be good to open a one-stop gift shop where you can find nice cards, paper, and handmade gifts. We also sought out craftspeople who don’t have a shop of their own, in order to be of help to them.”
One of the 17 crafts organizations that will sell its wares at the boutique is The Bulk House. Founded by Carrie Yu, that organization is also a proponent of a different kind of goodwill: environmental activism, by selling zero waste products like reusable straws, bags, and more.
Yu says she’s more than honored to team with the new boutique in order to bolster both their goodwill endeavors. “Roundabout is an amazing charity and it is amazing how much they do around Beijing – they seem to be everywhere!” she says. “We particularly like the fact that Roundabout distributes items that people no longer need or use onto people who do need them and so will use them.”
Greeting card designer Liuba Vladimirova of Liuba Draws is another vendor who will attend the boutique’s opening, and she seconds Yu’s sentiment, adding: “I’m always happy to hear a new boutique gift shop opens up in Beijing, especially if the products are being carefully curated. The new Roundabout boutique gathers lots of beloved Beijing design brands that provide people who live in Beijing or just love this city with unique gifts and memorabilia. It feels great that because of the people at Roundabout everybody is able to participate in all this awesomeness while also supporting a great cause!
And the fun doesn’t just stop at shopping. This new space will also serve as an events center, hosting seminars on Chinese culture, mindfulness, recycling practices in Beijing, and other such topics to help the Shunyi set live life in Beijing to the fullest. Beckett likens that aspect of the space to other Beijing cultural centers like The Hutong and The Bookworm, something that is currently lacking in Shunyi. As it is plain to see, this new Roundabout venue is set to liven up one of Beijing’s sleepier neighborhoods with plenty of exciting new offerings.
For more information on the boutique’s opening, click here.
Here is a list of all the sellers at the new boutique:
- Liuba Draws
- String Collection
- Dot 3
- The Green Room
- Souky Souky
- Pinyin Press
- TCA- Beijing
- Zoko Jewelry
- Friends That Rhyme
- Antonia Sampson Jewelry
- DdW Textiles
- Sew Gorgeously
- M & Nik
- Tai Tai
- The Bulk House
- John Wang Furniture
- Changfa Furniture
Roundabout Boutique
Mon-Sat, 9pm-4pm. Cathay View Plaza, 2 Xiangjiang Bei Lu (behind Didi’s market at the intersection with Jingmi Lu)
香江北路2号
Photo courtesy of Roundabout
