ESTON, Sask. — A black sport utility vehicle pulls up in front of the red and white building at the corner of Railway Avenue and First Street West in Eston just before 9 a.m. every weekday.
As she has for almost 20 years, Andrea Olorenshaw has arrived for another day of greeting customers at the shop named for her: Andrea’s 3Rs.
Andrea’s parents, Cliff and Margaret Olorenshaw, started the recycling, housewares and secondhand business as an activity to keep her challenged and engaged.
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“We started the business so that after her high school program ended, Andrea would have a place to go in her own community where people would know her and understand her situation,” said Margaret.
Andrea, who has cerebral palsy, is helped from the vehicle by her mother. Waiting for her inside the store each day is either Joyce Hodgson, Heather Kraft or Valerie MacDonald, staff members who look after the day-to-day store operations.
“We spent about a year exploring other options and planning for the opening of this business,” Margaret said.
In addition to providing an activity for Andrea, the initial intention of Andrea’s 3Rs was to provide a site for recycling for Eston and the surrounding Rural Municipality of Snipe Lake. Recycling was a new concept in rural Saskatchewan then and the Olorenshaws hit on a niche market with Andrea’s 3Rs.
The focus has changed over the years as the town took over paper, plastics and cardboard recycling and Sarcan set up a depot in town for collecting cans, bottles and electronics.
Andrea’s still operates as a recycling centre, but now for household items and gently used furniture and appliances.
Residents support the store, not just by buying, but also by donating or consigning merchandise of all types.
Depending on the day and the tastes of the shopper, there is a cornucopia of items ranging from a seasonal basket and a collectible Noritake dish to jigsaw puzzles, toys, china, a silver tea set and books. A second room holds furniture, lamps, exercise bikes, tools and sports equipment.
Seasonal and special displays often feature collectible items. The store recently featured royalty items ranging from books to tea caddies.
The community has been supportive, but is not without its naysayers.
“There were some people who felt the undertaking wouldn’t work, that for one person, the community wouldn’t support it and that we wouldn’t be able to carry the load, that it was too big an undertaking,” said Margaret.
Today, the business provides work for Andrea, the three part-time workers and others, including another disabled local resident, Duncan King.
The business continues to grow, with more customers coming from a wider area.
“The biggest change we have seen is not only the number of people coming through the door from our area and beyond, but also the amount of stuff that comes in,” Margaret said.
