Wekema emphasizes that it would be ‘eternal sin’ if The Circle stops. Not only is it a place where old clothes get a new life, people with disabilities and status holders also do internships there. This includes Rayhangül Abdukeram, who has been active at De Cirkel for 7 years. “I’m really sorry that the store has to close,” she says.
Customers also regret it. “You buy beautiful clothes here at a low price. It’s really a shame”, says one of them. “The Circle now looks a lot at the municipality, but maybe there is a local entrepreneur who can help them out.”
Secretary Janet Mastenbroek thinks that stores like De Cirkel can be of great value, especially in times of economic crises like this one. “We can already see it getting busier here. People can get clothes here for little money. That will only become more important.”
Mastenbroek calls the support from customers ‘heartwarming’, although she does not expect to find a new place for the store overnight. “We have pinned our hopes on the municipality, but they cannot do magic. It would be nice if we could get a place in the town hall in the long run.”