The New York gamer becomes a fashion magnet.

NEW YORK – The common perception of a gamer is that a drab, dusty basement has equally drab and dusty clothes.

However, the Beautify Memories game in New Hyde Park, New York stands on its ears and has not only helped those in need, but has become a magnet for fashionistas from all over New York.

When my 103-year-old mother died in December, I wanted to honor everything about her, which meant not giving away her clothes to a landfill. I wanted her assets to rest in a good place.

I was led to a beautiful memory of a nearby synagogue in New Hyde Park Synagogue, Young Israel.

It became an underground treasure trove of hi-fashion, glittering gowns and endless options to dress up for that unforgettable day or glamorous evening.

Forget fancy boutiques or online shops where guesswork, chances are taken and merchandise is based on on-screen descriptions and thumbnails, fond memories are not.

Finding your way there requires a little planning and it helps to know someone who knows you. Or just call the founder and make an appointment; With the power of the founders’ network, getting referrals is easier than ever.

Set back from the busy boulevard, Shul is hidden under a canopy of plane trees and may be one of Long Island’s best-kept secrets. The offerings in this modest building can turn pedestrians into celebrities.

In the beginning, founders Beth and Mark Krieger had a modest vision: to help the Jewish community on Long Island. He got the idea for the clothing store while working with INN, a social service agency in Hempstead.

The idea is not new: the meaning of “gemach” is short for the Jewish expression “gemilut chasidim” meaning “to extend kindness.”

Covering people from all walks of life

At Beautiful Memories Gemach, that kindness spans people from all walks of life, homeless families and clients from NY, NJ, Connecticut and Rhode Island, as well as 20 countries including Israel and as far away as Ukraine.

“This might be the biggest high-end clothing gemach in the United States,” Krieger said. We serve approximately 20,000 people worldwide and domestically.

Stand in 2,500 square feet with more than 40 racks, two fitting rooms with full mirrors and accessories that dress customers from head to toe.

Krieger had a lifelong desire to connect people: attentive, friendly and eager to share his wealth, he is a constant partner. Its own website lists the Step Forward Network and Speakers Bureau.

Starting next month, Krieger will team up with the Gold Coast Rotary Club on May 21 for the international group’s annual day of service from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Gemach, Krieger said, allows people to buy clothes “for a fraction of the actual cost of the garment.”

One of the best testimonials is from Miri: “Looking for a wedding dress was a nightmare before we met your jeweler… I felt like a perfect princess on my wedding day and the dress fit like a glove.” The wedding dress had a 15-foot train, which alone could have cost $5,000 (18,274 shekels) retail. She paid a total of $500 (1,828 shekels).

A charity operating in Latin America, Krieger, took only 500 batches of shoes as seed stock to train local citizens to start their own businesses, and sold the shoes for three pairs for $75 (NIS 274).

“Instead of sending the clothes to shredders, we send the items directly to the groups that deliver them to the people,” Krieger said.

For those concerned about the state of our planet, oil production is the only industry that contributes more to our environment than the clothing industry, between production, transportation, disposal and everything in between. Reselling items in like-new condition is one way to do something good for your wallet and the planet.

Her hard work and dedication has attracted donations and sponsorships from some of Long Island’s most high-profile neighborhoods, filling shelves and racks with formal gowns, dresses, gowns, wedding dresses and bridesmaids and mothers of the bride and groom, as well as prom queens and kings. .

A shoe manufacturer in nearby Great Neck donated new armor, shiny shoes and boots.

Unlike high-end boutiques or online retailers, where shoppers rely on mismatched specs, tiny on-screen images and harsh return policies, at Beautiful Memories, shoppers can take time to try on clothes in a pressure-free environment.

When his inventory becomes an embarrassment of riches, Krieger persistently donates the merchandise to a network of nonprofits, houses of worship, communities, schools or other institutions with which he is affiliated.

Not long after, a so-called family member burned down his entire house, including his father’s car dealership. Within 24 hours of the fire, they visited Gemach town and left with bags full of clothes, from children to grandmothers.

There were times when a relative of an attendee passed by and the family needed time to spend Shiva sitting and dressing their clothes.

Now and then a generous donation comes in, for example Gameach originally marked them at $1,000 (NIS 3,650) each and reduced them to $100 (NIS 365).

Housed in sharp security and privacy, the group circulates many designer dresses, some still with their original tags, many unused for young and old to dress themselves from shag to beat.

Krieger relies on smart, hard-working volunteers who know what the merchandise looks like on whom. In addition, they set up the shop every week because the place acts as a setting for synagogue activities.

You never know who’s going to show up on Gamematch. One day, a group of teenagers from a Long Island special ed school walked in carefully prepared with donated gowns, tuxedos, formal jackets, sweaters, T-shirts, shoes, shirts, bags, and cosmetics. Jeans, messy hair and both nervous and shy.

By the time they leave, these special Ed kids are ready to partake in the American prom night tradition of wearing stylish, almost brand new, well-fitted prom dresses that will transform them all into royalty on their special night.

The other day, a group of women from the remote Rockaways were looking for clothing for an African American gospel singing group, whose leader was related to Dionne Warwick and Whitney Houston. At Beautify Memories, there is something for everyone.

Full disclosure: I took what this reporter is a beautiful memory of and donated my own precious wedding dress to a bride who could only imagine the dress of her dreams beyond her means; Not now. (www.beautifulmemoriesgemach.org)