Seasonal consignment sales bring new business to town

The trend is seasonal consignment sales and, with names popping up across the country such as Upscale WeeSale, One-Week Boutique and Tot Trade, the main focus of the sales is baby and youth clothing, furniture and toys.

Held at venues such as church fellowship halls or convention centers, inventory comes from families with items they’d like to sell on consignment. The business owners, along with volunteers who are rewarded with shopping sprees prior to the public opening, sort the merchandise by size and category, display it and handle transactions.

Trading Hands Kids Sale held its first seasonal consignment sale Sept. 14–16 at Springfield Expo Center. A second event is scheduled at the expo center March 15–17.

Trading Hands Kids Sale is owned and operated by Kim and Brandon Green, of Fort Smith, Ark., and Trisha and Andy O’Neil, of Harrison, Ark.

Kim Green had sold children’s clothing on consignment and helped out at a seasonal consignment sale owned by friends in Fort Smith.

“I was really prepared for running our own business since I’d been consigning for three years with Growing Kids Sale and had worked every aspect of the sale,” Green said.

The two couples borrowed the business model of Growing Kids Sale to start their own independent business, but there is no franchise relationship between the two businesses.

For some owners of consignment sale businesses, a franchise is the way to go. Such was the case when Stacey Merrell and Marcy Leffingwell, both of Tulsa, decided to bring their Just Between Friends Sale to Springfield.

JBF’s first event is scheduled for March 1–3 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2200 W. Republic Road.

Merrell and Leffingwell, both former teachers, were stay-at-home moms who decided to turn their desire to get good deals on clothing for their children into a business.

Merrell had been a consignor and worker at the original JBF Sale in Tulsa, Okla., launched 10 years ago by Shannon Wilburn and Daven Tackett.

The first JBF Sale was held in Wilburn’s 400-square-foot living room with 17 friends as consignors and $1,800 in gross sales. The founders continue to operate their own sale twice a year.

“It just took off,” Wilburn said. “Our last event here in Tulsa had 1,280 families as consignors and gross sales of $464,000.”

There are now 42 Just Between Friends events in 13 states. Franchisees pay $9,000 for the opportunity and receive training in Tulsa, attend an annual conference, and receive a 280-page operations manual that includes directions to build racks for displaying inventory.

Changing attitudes

The popularity of the resale and consignment industry has resulted in 5 percent growth in the number of retail shops opening across the country each year, said Adele Meyer, director of the Detroit-based National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops.

Meyer added that there are currently more than 20,000 resale, consignment and thrift shops in the United States, but that number doesn’t include seasonal consignment sales because they’re so new and because none have joined NARTS.

Resale, where shop owners purchase used inventory outright, and consignment, where the seller and shop owner split the sale, are growing due to the popularity of recycling, and parents are conscious of financial obligations for their children’s educations and their own retirement, Meyer said.

“And then there’s the thrill of the hunt,” Meyer added.

At Just 4 You Resale & Consignment Store, 1875 N. Highway CC in Nixa, owner Misha Watts said the seasonal consignment sale concept is so new to the area that her business has not been affected. She has seen a change in attitude toward resale and consignment shops, particularly among teens ashamed to be seen in a resale store when she opened 11 years ago.

“Now it’s cool,” Watts said. “But the market is almost over-saturated because people think it’s easy to do. You can’t resell kids’ clothes for much money. If not for my women’s section, it would be hard to keep the doors open.”

Making profits, donations

Selling items through seasonal consignment sales often brings in more profit for the sellers. Both JBF and Trading Hands pay consignors 70 percent of the sales price, which is set by the consignor.

Consignment shops typically pay less. The Review Shoppe, 1452 S. Glenstone Ave., pays consignors 40 percent for clothing. Bows & Britches, 918 W. Mt. Vernon in Nixa, and Just 4 You both pay consignors 50 percent of the sale price.

“Our consignors average $150 to $200 in profits,” said Trading Hands’ Green, “although we had one consignor that made $600.”

Giving back to the community is important to the owners of both local seasonal consignment sales. Consignors are given the option of picking up unsold merchandise or donating the items to charity. JBF Sale has partnered with Lutheran Family & Children’s Services, and Trading Hands benefits Springfield Victory Mission.

Upcoming Consignment Sales

• March 1–3, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, by Just Between Friends Sale

• March 15–17, Springfield Expo Center, by Trading Hands Kids Sale

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