Treasure-Trove
Bargain hunters' devotion stirred by consignment shops By BEN van der MEER
BEE STAFF WRITER Last Updated: March 15, 2007, 04:45:32 AM PDT Somewhere between
thrift stores, yard sales and discount outlets is where consignment shops fit in the retail landscape. Consignment items are pre-owned, but their owners haven't completely abandoned them. The prices are modest, but consignment shop owners say they're not selling junk. And the variety of merchandise sometimes defies description by consignment veterans. "We
don't know what this is," said Phyllis Lairson, owner of Ann's Consignment Shop, as she peered at a teardrop-shaped black bag with a hook. It's labeled a "hanging black sports bag," but Lairson, 55, confesses she has no idea what it's really used for. Lairson, who has owned the Modesto shop for five years, is closing the 25-year-old business in the Roseburg Square shopping center. But
she's still a believer in the consignment store concept, where people bring unwanted items to be sold. In most cases, the shopkeeper and property owner split the proceeds if an item is sold within a few months. The item becomes the store's property if it doesn't sell after a certain period of time and the original owner doesn't take it back. Elizabeth Rose, co-owner of Second Chance Consignment and
Costume Shop in Modesto, said she's seen many people become devoted consignment store shoppers. "We've got lots of customers where we've seen them as children, and then seen themgrow up and become customers, as well," she said. Rose and Lairson said the appeal is not only in finding a bargain, but in discovering something that's unwanted by one, but precious to someone else. Donna Mathews of Ripon said she thinks consignment stores have carved out a niche because many people have become cost-conscious about their shopping. "If you're familiar with antiques, it can really be a lot of fun," said Mathews, 85, as she browsed in Lairson's store during a closing sale with drastic price reductions. "It's fun to see what people get rid of, and once in a while, you find something."
Lairson's store, which closes Thursday, specialized in clothing. But shoppers have bought lots of other items there, from old jazz records to a ponderous art piece Lairson labeled "elephant dung sculpture." "I've had a lot more friends than money," Lairson said. "But I'm gonna miss so many people, so many friends, and you can't replace those." She said rising rents have forced her to close the store. Suzanne Dennis, who runs an online consignment store directory at www.consignmentshops.com, said that's not uncommon, because such stores aren't lucrative. "The best thing is that your inventory is free," said Dennis. "But you have to be savvy about what you
sell." Women's clothes and furniture work better as consignments, she said, while children's and men's clothes are harder to sell. Dennis said consignment shops are more popular along the U.S. coasts and are becoming more popular among the environmentally conscious. And even as a store such as Ann's closes, other stores are ready to take its place. Andy
Pocoroba, 49, opened Tryna Treasure in Modesto five months ago. "What other kind of business can you get into with such a minimal amount of overhead?" he said, adding that he hopes his Tully Road store draws students from nearby Modesto Junior College. "Unlike garage sales, when we take in clothes, we inspect them," he said. "You get good product at less than half the new
price." Janice Watkins, 57, said she's shopped at Ann's and other consignment shops for years. "You could always find something here you couldn't live without," she said. "I'd come in for just half an hour and get lost in it all." Bee staff writer Ben van der Meer can be reached at bvandermeer@modbee.com or 578-2331.
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