Shoppers seeking high end style are turning to consignment stores for top deals

Main Street section boasts several sites
By Michele Willer-Allred
Ventura County Star–Dec. 23, 2012
Inside the boutique called Harper Blue in Ventura, the
shelves are stocked with Coach brand purses, belts and
accessories by Brighton and Dolce & Gabbana
sunglasses.
But unlike department stores, the boutique at 2415 E.
Main Street sells those and other new and gently-used
designer women’s clothing and accessories at a fraction of
the cost.
During a recent visit to the store, a shopper bought two
Coach purses, which would have normally retailed for
several hundred dollars each. The shopper paid $125 total
for both purses.
Even though the items are slightly used, the store is
different than a thrift shop where people donate their
clothes to a nonprofit store.
Instead, Harper Blue is a consignment store, where
people can bring in their clothing and other items to be
resold. When the store sells the item, the original owner
gets a cut of the sale.
Harper Blue opened about four years ago, becoming part
of more than 25,000 resale, consignment or not-for-profit
resale shops in the United States.
The National Association of Resale Professionals recently
reported that while many businesses close their doors
every day, “resale remains healthy and continues to be
one of the fastest growing segments of retail.”
Harper Blue joins several other consignment and resale
stores that are in business along a several block area on
Main Street starting to be known as “the consignment
district.”
Among the stores are Peas & Carrots, a children’s and
maternity consignment and retail shop, a plus-sized
consignment store called Consigning Women, and One
MO Time, which is both a consignment clothing and home
goods.
Consignment stores are also popping up along a popular
shopping section of State Street in Santa Barbara.
Stores such as Harper Blue and Buffalo Exchange, also
on Main Street in Ventura, and Love at Second Sight in
Westlake Village also will buy items for cash and trade
credit.
Shoppers at Love at Second Sight, a contemporary, highend
resale boutique, regularly follow the store’s Facebook
page, where the store lists its recent acquisitions.
Recently listed on their Facebook page was a Kate Spade
leopard-printed purse, which retailed at $345 and was
selling at Love at Second Sight for $118. A small Burberry
wallet retailing for $325 was selling for $195, while a pair
of Philipp Plein crystal skull denim shorts originally selling
for $584 was going for $98.
Fran Abbott of Ventura recently visited Harper Blue with
her friend Stephanie Burrows of Oxnard, who regularly
consigns her items at the store.
Abbott said she has been going to consignment stores as
both a buyer and seller for many years. She learned about
consignment stores when she attended a fashion show
featuring consigned clothing.
“Most people think ‘used clothing’ when they hear about
these stores and they kind of automatically turn away. But
this is not the case. These are really fashionable things,
oftentimes not even worn, being sold at a great price,” said
Abbott.
Abbott said some of the best values are evening shoes or
formal dresses, where women have worn them once.
Shoppers who gain or lose weight may bring their clothes
in that no longer fit or buy a new wardrobe. Sometimes
people who change jobs don’t have a need for their suits
anymore.
“Sometimes you’ll find original tags hanging on them, and
that is the best thing, a great feeling,” said Abbott.
Abbott said she regularly takes items in to be sold.
“You may buy something you really like, but maybe it’s
something that just doesn’t fit or perhaps the color isn’t
something you want now. (Consigning) is a way to get
some of the money back that you spend on some very
expensive designer clothing,” said Abbott.
Abbott has heard Ventura has become a “mecca” for
consignment and resale stores.
“Ventura has just a myriad of great places for consignment
stores. People come from all over to these shops. The
stores are really quite nice,” said Abbott.
Debbie Beck, a real estate agent, decided to open Harper
Blue in 2008. She had already been selling clothing and
other items on eBay for many years before opening her
store in Ventura. Half of her sales are still on eBay, and
half are in the store. Many of the items are noted on the
store’s Facebook page.
Beck said she grew up either buying consignment or
buying second hand.
“I always believed that for something that somebody
doesn’t want, there’s a home for it somewhere. If it doesn’t
sell, it gets donated to charities,” said Beck.
Alex Wright, the store’s manager who has worked in the
consignment business for many years, said people have
become more conscious about what they are spending
their money on, and people are seeking items of quality.
“It’s a treasure hunt, where they can find things that they
won’t find anywhere else,” said Wright.
Beck said those that think they have something of value to
sell can come in and the store’s staff will look over the
items to see if they’re seasonal and that have been sold in
stores during the last couple of years. Higher-end items
usually are sold on consignment.
“It has to be clean and pressed. It has to be dry cleaned if
the item can be dry-cleaned. No stains, no rips, no
damage,” said Beck.
At most stores, the consignor usually gets 30 to 50
percent of the sale price, although online consignment
services now offer sellers a larger cut.
Beck said business has been very good and they have
regular customers from across the state.
“With the economy the way it is, people are doing a lot
more shopping in these type of stores than they would’ve
before and bringing stuff that they probably would’ve just
donated before or got rid of without even thinking anything
about it,” said Beck.