Buyers and Sellers Attracted to Stores That Specialize in Recycling Items for Children
Parents are drawn to resale shops specializing in products for children by bargain-basement prices on used clothing, toys, baby furniture, sporting goods and other items.
They also can sell belongings their own children have outgrown.
At The Kids Store in Sepulveda, for example, Bryant dresses that sell for $29 to $35 at retail are sold for $6.50 to $10.50. Oshkosh coveralls, ordinarily priced from $10 to $16, sell for $4.50 to $7.95.
At Almost New in Sepulveda, a Gloria Vanderbilt blouse or a Healthtex shirt sells for $2.75 to $4.
Books, new handicraft items and maternity clothes also are sold for much below retail. Among the fastest-selling items are car seats, portable cribs and infant layettes.
All shop owners require items to be clean, fresh-looking, in season, in good condition and free of rips and stains. It is not unusual for a prospective seller to be turned away without having her bundled offerings inspected at all.
“People don’t understand the concept,” said Rose Houver of Rose’s Kiddie Kloset in Burbank. “They’re always trying to bring things crammed into boxes and bags. But we’re not a thrift shop.”
Children’s resale shops compete with thrift shops by emphasizing the difference between the two.
“We don’t want it to look like a used-clothing store,” said Elaine Fallenberg, co-owner of The Kids Store. “We want it to smell and look good.”
To help remove the stigma of purchasing used clothes, these shops are usually decorated brightly and clothing is sized, labeled and arranged neatly.
“People of all economic strata who have never bought resale before will buy if you have nice clothes in good condition,” Fallenberg said.
Other shop owners said customers often walk in without being aware that they are in a resale shop. When they notice the prices and resale label, some walk out, but others browse and buy.
Still, said Jamie Goddard, owner of Kids Closet in North Hollywood, about half of her customers come in only to sell.
Items accepted are usually taken on consignment. The customer signs an agreement that they will come back after a certain period, usually 60 days, to collect a percentage and take back unsold articles.
The store may keep 50% to 70% of the sales price. Some shops purchase items outright, usually paying a smaller amount, perhaps a quarter of the selling price.
The atmosphere is friendly and family-oriented at children’s resale shops. Often there are play areas for youngsters and sometimes a bulletin board for the use of customers.
Because resale shops have low profit margins, many do not survive. Four of the seven children’s resale outlets that operated in the Valley three years ago have since gone out of business. Several more have since opened.
The following are resale shops in the Valley-area specializing in children’s items:
The Kids Store, 16202 Nordhoff St., Sepulveda, (818) 894-1545. Open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This 3-year-old shop accepts children’s articles on 60-day consignment only; 60% goes to the store, except on furniture, where the split is 50%. It offers clothing in excellent condition in sizes newborn to 14. Toys, furniture and children’s accessories also are stocked. There is a play area for children.
Rose’s Kiddie Kloset, 3408 W. Victory Blvd., Burbank, (818) 848-KIDS. Open Tuesday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Clothing suitable for newborns through teen-agers are sold at this long-established business. Consignment for clothing is on a 50% basis for 60 days, customers receive two-thirds of the sales price for furniture. Toys, shoes and accessories also are carried. Clothing must be laundered, pressed, seasonal and in good condition. There is a children’s play room. A request list is available for furniture and special items.
Back on the Rack, 21501 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, (818) 704-8303. Open Monday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday noon to 4 p.m. The owner of this 3-year-old shop buys items outright, including children’s clothing in sizes newborn to 14, baby equipment and furniture, shoes, car seats, blankets, toys, books and maternity clothes. Everything must be clean and in like-new condition. Another Back on the Rack, at 18439 Sherman Way in Reseda, specializes in women’s clothing and carries some children’s articles.
Children’s Carousel, 2153 Tapo St., Simi Valley, (805) 527-3825. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Most items are taken on consignment. The store gets 60%, though occasionally the owner purchases outright. Clothing in sizes infant to 12 must be in excellent condition, laundered and fluff-dried. Some wear on the knees of play clothes is acceptable. Furniture, toys and books are carried. There is a children’s play area.
Reruns for Wee Ones, 5219 Laurel Canyon Blvd., North Hollywood, (818) 766-6046. Open Monday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Owner Ann Wei purchases some items outright, takes the rest on 50% consignment. Appointments are required for people selling items. This shop specializes in designer labels and like-new clothing for babies, although it carries sizes newborn to 10 and maternity clothes. Clothing must be washed and freshly ironed. Also stocked are toys, games, strollers, bassinets, some baby furniture and a few new items, such as baby-shower gifts. Wei carries her own original greeting cards for birth announcements and birthdays. She also does custom designs. A request list is available for special resale items. A play area for children and a community bulletin board are part of the amenities in this small store.
Wear It Again Sam, 219 W. Olive St., Burbank, (818) 845-6485. Open Monday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. When the owner of this 2-year-old resale shop buys children’s clothing outright, she pays 30% of what she will sell the items for. On consignment, 60% goes to the store. Sizes carried are newborn to 14, with most of the selections up to size 6. Clothing must be on hangers or folded neatly, laundered and looking new. Many designer labels are stocked. Other articles accepted are toys, books, preschool bikes and tricycles, car seats and infant furniture and equipment. Italian cribs are sold for half of retail. New items include baby gift baskets, stuffed animals and balloon bouquets. Visa and MasterCard are accepted.
Kid’s Closet, 5316 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, (818) 505-8555. Open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. All items are purchased outright for a quarter of the selling price, although 50% more is offered if the customer opts for credit to be applied toward purchases. Sizes carried are newborn to 14, plus maternity clothes. In addition, the stock includes furniture, tricycles, toys, shoes and books. Items must be in good condition; clothes must be laundered. A 50-cent rack contains play clothes in so-so condition. A request list is available. Occasionally, new items will turn up, such as 40 little girls’ dresses in time for Easter. Owner Jamie Goddard has rebuilt the store at this new location after a fire a year ago destroyed the original store.
Almost New, 16230 Parthenia St., Sepulveda, (818) 341-6065. Open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The owner of this shop buys items outright for a quarter of their subsequent selling price. Clothing in sizes newborn to 14 includes mostly name brands in excellent condition. Also carried are shoes, furniture, strollers, swings, books, toys, baby accessories, maternity clothes and a single rack of women’s clothing. Layaway is available, as is a request list for special items. There is a children’s play area and a community bulletin board.
Recycled Toys for Tender Years, 8879 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Sun Valley, (818) 768-1411. Open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, noon to 6:30 p.m.; Monday and Wednesday, 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Owner Donne Jiminez sometimes stays open evenings; call ahead. This shop specializes in toys of all kinds, from baby rattles to bicycles. Among items carried are dolls, games, wooden puzzles, Fisher-Price pull toys and blocks. An incomplete Fisher-Price airport without the little people or pieces sells for $4. Similar toys, when complete, sell for half of retail. Items brought in must be clean and in working order. Cribs, strollers and some children’s clothing and baby linens are stocked. A request list is kept for special items. Consignment terms are 60 days, with 30% going to the customer.
Encore Sports, 22702 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, (818) 348-8813, and 1781 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, (805) 379-0020. The Woodland Hills store is open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. The just-opened Thousand Oaks store’s hours are daily, noon to 6 p.m., except Saturday, when it opens at 10 a.m. Owners Walt and Rick Collins specialize in high-quality used sports equipment. The emphasis is on ski, scuba and surf gear, but equipment for every kind of athletic endeavor is accepted on consignment. Customers get 60% of the sale price and items are sold for one-third to one-half of retail. About 20% of items brought in are purchased outright. Clothing must be in season, and toys and sports items must be in safe working order. Both stores stock more articles for children than for adults, such as bicycles, balls, skateboards, boogie boards and small sizes of wet suits and ski clothing. A request list is available. Items most sought by customers right now are baseball, exercise, camping and fishing equipment.
