Global Perspectives

Humans of River Falls: Bonnie Hintze, a kind stranger

Introduction: As writing instructors in UWRF’s English Language Transition (ELT) Program one of our missions is to involve English learning students in campus activities while strengthening their knowledge of English. We could think of no better way to do this than to have them publish an article in the Student Voice. What you are about to read is the final product of several sessions of brainstorming and writing followed by consultations with native speakers including some from the TESOL program and the Student Voice. -- Kiki Augustin (ESL 211 Intermediate Writing) and Alex Hatheway (MODL 310 Advanced Composition)

As Lao Tzu said “kindness in giving creates love”. Bonnie Hintze is a kind person, and she spreads love in her second-hand shop called Riverwalk Vintage Market.

She loves vintage things and collects them from many places. Bonnie bought Riverwalk Vintage Market in 2016. Bonnie said “Many things in the store are vintage, some of the things are repurposed. Some people call it junk, but I call it treasure because lots of people stopped by my stores to looking for something specific, and when they found things, they found their treasures.”

Bonnie likes to do repurpose and often come up with amusing ideas which widen the variety of the goods in her store. What’s more, always being a kind lady, Bonnie provides free snacks and hot tea in the store. She regards it as courtesy to the customers to make their shopping memorable here. 

I asked Bonnie what is the one thing she has held on to the longest. She said it was her “antique buffet”. She has many chances to find vintage things. She likes to keep things when she found something she liked; most of her items were turned into her “antique buffet”. In all, Bonnie Hintze is such a kind lady who love helping others.