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When Marjorie “Margie” Welsh joined the team at Hole in the Wall 22 years ago, Guilford A Better Chance (ABC) snagged a bargain.

Educated in the business of retail at Chamberlain School of Retailing in Boston, Margie is a third-generation member of her family’s line of successful female retail buyers for major New England department stores.

Margie joined Hole in the Wall as a volunteer shortly after retiring from her professional work. At Hole in the Wall, Margie’s role evolved from volunteer to manager, and before she knew it, 22 years had gone by. A few weeks back, Margie “retired” from Hole in the Wall, bidding a fond farewell to the little Boston Street shop she calls “the gathering place.”

As Guilford’s oldest and only non-profit consignment and resale shop, Hole in the Wall opened 40 years ago and has continuously raised funds from sales of consigned and donated quality clothing, housewares, jewelry, shoes, books, and seasonal items to support Guilford ABC. Founded in December 1974, Guilford ABC has been a bridge to opportunity for dozens of talented inner-city females arriving here to live in the ABC House while attending Guilford High School. Many remarkable Guilford ABC alumnae have set the bar for those who’ve followed, as women of note and accomplishment in many fields.

Margie says her decision to help out Guilford ABC via Hole in the Wall was an easy one.

“I’m very enthusiastic about retail, and it was a chance to do something to help young women, which is so important,” says Margie.

Margie moved to Guilford a short time before she began helping out at Hole in the Wall. She first learned about Guilford ABC and Hole in the Wall from a cousin, who introduced Margie to one of the organization’s founders, Helen Carlson. Margie and Carlson soon found they shared a professional retail background.

“She was so enthusiastic and really encouraged me,” says Margie of Carlson. “My husband had just passed away, and she said, ‘Oh, you have to join.’”

Margie says the friendships and the family feeling shared among those helping (and those shopping) at Hole in the Wall is one of the secrets to the little shop’s continued success.

“We’ve become such a family, and we love seeing the customers who’ve become like a part of the family, too,” says Margie, adding the shop never lacks for help. “We’ll have volunteers coming in to help on a day off, because they’re in the area and wanted to stop in and help. That’s very unique to me, because in the retail business, you don’t see that kind of thing, normally!”

Margie was happy to pull some extra weight managing the shop and reporting monthly to the ABC Board for 11 years. She says the shop is in great hands with its general manager, Patty Sullivan.

“Patty became general manager about five years ago, and I stayed on with her, and we worked so well together. She is a fantastic, energetic girl. We’re very fortunate to have Patty there at the shop,” says Margie.

Margie can vouch for the amount of energy it takes to keep Hole in the Wall a beehive of productivity.

“It’s a very busy place, and there are so many facets of the business itself. But the volunteers were always so wonderful to work with; the greatest group of people I have ever known. They are so willing and anxious to help and to keep the shop in wonderful condition. So it’s a demanding thing as a store, but I loved it. I love the energy you get from it. Maybe it’s my retail background.”

Margie’s professional retail career spanned more than four decades at three places of business. She met her husband, Pierce, when they both were buyers for Gamble-Desmonde Company, a once-prominent New Haven department store occupying a six-story low-rise on Chapel Street. When that family-owned business closed, Margie joined the Edward Malley Co. as a buyer. She remained there 27 years, helping the venerable New Haven department store move from its Chapel Street on-the-green locale (demolished in 1962) to the new, modern store (now home to Gateway Community College). After Malley’s closed in 1982, Margie became a manager for Dress Barn’s North Haven store and stayed on the job for 10 years before retiring. Not too long after, she took up her volunteer role with Hole in the Wall.

“So it was an interesting career, and then I came to Hole in the Wall, and I really enjoyed it,” says Margie.

A Massachusetts native, Margie followed in the footsteps of her grandmother and mom in pursuing a career in retail buying for department stores.

“We’re a long-eared family of retailers,” says Margie, smiling. “My grandmother was a buyer in Jordan Marsh in Boston. She was the first foreign buyer, and she traveled to Europe to buy intimate apparel. My mother became a buyer for intimate apparel, too; she was with Forbes & Wallace in Springfield. I guess I got the initiative to get into retailing from them.”

Margie’s daughter, Abigail Zombrowski, deviated from the path and enjoyed a career as an early childhood education teacher (now retired). Margie shares a home with her daughter and granddaughter, Kate, a Guilford High School freshman. Margie’s looking forward to sharing more time with both and is excited to see where Kate’s future will take her.

“Kate will hopefully go on to do what she enjoys,” says Margie. “I know I enjoyed it all, especially my time with Hole in the Wall. That was my happiness: being able to help with an organization like that, which does so much for young girls. It was something I enjoyed every minute of.

“It’s fantastic, what they achieved with Guilford ABC. There is lot of effort put in by everyone, and the ABC Board is so interested in helping these girls. It’s amazing to see.”

In her new “retirement,” Margie will continue to volunteer with Connecticut Hospice and enjoy her membership with Guilford Garden Club (Margie’s specialty is helping the club produce fresh flower arrangements for Hyland House Museum). And although she won’t be spending as many days at Hole in the Wall as she has for the past 22 years, Margie says she doesn’t plan to stay away for long.

“It’s like a gathering place,” says Margie. “That’s what I always called it. People come in on their lunch hour, or they come because they like to browse, and they become part of the shop. They tell you about their families, where they’re going to travel...It’s a community in itself. So I will definitely go back to see everybody. I may even go back once in a while to volunteer!”

Hole in the Wall is located at 35 Boston Street (Boston Commons); open seven days a week. Visit www.guilfordabc.com for hours and more information; or call (203) 453-2088. Donations are encouraged; all proceeds from sales of donated goods benefit Guilford’s A Better Chance program.