Kitchener Zehrs opens its doors to students for free dress clothes shopping

A grocery store in Kitchener is making sure all kids can celebrate major milestones in style. CTV’s Colton Wiens finds out how.

What began as a feel-good initiative to help students in Waterloo Region look their best at milestone events has turned into a full-fledged shopping experience.

More than 250 dresses, men’s suits, pants, shoes and accessories are now available at the Zehrs store in Stanley Park Mall.

The goal is to help students find beautiful ensembles for prom or graduation – without breaking the bank.

In fact, everything is free.

Donations started coming in March and while, initially, they only collected a couple dozen garments, now hundreds are up for grabs.

“Where we are financially as an economy, if this is something that we can do to help a family member, that’s what we’re here for and that’s the purpose of it,” the store’s manager Maddison Meyer told CTV News on April 9.

Students can check out the available selection on Friday afternoons between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. The shop will also be open on weekends from noon until 4 p.m.

Meyer said it’s not something Zehrs has done before but she hopes other stores will follow their lead.

Any clothing or accessories that aren’t selected will be donated back to the community.

With files from Colton Wiens