Reborn at a new location, The Cinderella Shop offers affordable donated clothing to support a variety of needs at Piedmont Newton Hospital, all while volunteers find purpose, friendship,
and a sense of community through their service.
If you ever visited The Cinderella Shop to donate clothes or pick up items over the years, you probably met lifelong Covington resident Mikie Wagy.
After she had retired from Bridgestone Golf and lost her husband in the early 2000s, friends suggested that she spend some of her free time volunteering there. Originally opened on The Square in 1992, the shop moved to Morgan Plaza on Pace Street in 2000. Wagy enjoyed it from the day she started.
“I was able to make new friends, reconnect with old ones and feel that I was helping the entire community,” she said. The Cinderella Shop takes in donated women’s clothing and accessories, then sells them to customers to benefit Piedmont Newton Hospital. Wagy volunteered there for 15 years until it closed its Morgan Plaza location in 2023, with plans to relocate. “The Cinderella Shop has my heart,” she said. With a new location set to reopen this fall on Mill Street—this time as The Cinderella Shop at the Gainer Center—Wagy plans to rekindle her love for volunteering under the direction of Stephanie Ryan.
“It’s a good place for ladies to donate nice, gently worn garments knowing they help the community and the hospital.”
Mikie Wagy
“Having Stephanie as our coordinator is one of life’s pleasures,” Wagy said. “She has the success of Cinderella and the comfort and pleasure of volunteers foremost in her heart.” Wagy generally works at least two days each week—more, if needed—pricing, hanging items and displaying clothing, shoes and accessories. “We also, of course, serve customers, ring sales and generally keep the shop tidy,” she said. “It’s never dull.” Wagy considers it a win-win to be able to help the community while also supporting Piedmont Newton. “Cinderella provides a supply of quality clothing at affordable prices, helping those who need to find nice things without spending too much money,” she said. “It’s a good place for ladies to donate nice, gently worn garments knowing they help the community and the hospital.”
The shop offers a special sense of belonging to those involved.
“Quite simply, this satisfies a need to make a real difference in this community, this hospital,” Wagy said. “Anyone wanting to feel the same would benefit and be a part of a wonderful family.”
Ryan indicated The Cinderella Shop will continue to support Piedmont Newton as it has in the past. Previous sales have helped raise money for a mammography machine in the Women’s Diagnostic Center and equipment for the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Current funds are being raised for the oncology departments.
“The purpose for The Cinderella Shop is that we want to support our women in our community, and in turn, we support patients in the hospital,” Ryan said. “Sales from The Cinderella Shop go into a special funds account and support the hospital locally.”
Its new location, in a standalone historic home at 4152 Mill Street in Covington, was named in honor of Peggy Gainer, a well-known resident who was part of the hospital auxiliary and helped spearhead The Cinderella Shop. The family recently donated the house, which was previously home to the auxiliary board’s volunteer office before being vacated. Donations from a clay shoot hosted by Piedmont Newton assisted in renovating it. The Cinderella Shop will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.
Ryan reiterated that all items sold in the shop are donated, some new with tags and others that are gently used. In addition to general clothing and accessories like shoes and handbags, women may find bridal gowns and other formal dresses that could be used for prom or evening wear.
“It’s neat to be in here,” Ryan said. “People come to look for wedding dresses, and we’ve sold prom dresses one night and let young girls come in. They had a shopping experience. We have Merryvale [Assisted Living] come shopping with us. We have some ladies and gentlemen who come about once a quarter, and we provide breakfast and refreshments for them.”
Nearly 10 volunteers like Wagy help run the shop. Her efforts—and those of others like her—do not go unnoticed.
“She’s a very dedicated and loyal volunteer for The Cinderella Shop,” Ryan said. “She’s a hard worker, and she really values the customers, helping them find what they want, and always goes the extra mile.”
For information on The Cinderella Shop, call 770-728-1033.
Click here to read more stories by Michelle Floyd.
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