New Store Offers Great Treasure Hunting

If there were a contest for the store name of the year, Hello & Good Buys--which substitutes a dollar sign for the final letter--would win hands down.

The newly opened Encino store stocks lots of tabletop deals, gift ware and tree ornaments at wholesale prices just in time for the holidays.

Nancy and Howard Greenberg decided to open a retail operation after more than 25 years’ experience in wholesale and retail, fairs and craft shows. Their expertise leads them to buys that are considerably below wholesale, allowing them to sell first-quality products at wholesale prices.

The inventory is not deep. Sometimes there’s only one of a kind, which makes for great treasure hunting. There was only one box of Godinger silver plate flatware with 16 five-piece place settings for $99.

Crystal clocks that retail for $22 to $70 are marked $11 to $26. A Czech Republic crystal vase is pricier than most pieces at $145, but the retail is $290. There’s a selection of rugs--4 feet by 3 feet--marked at $46 to $48 that would regularly sell for $80, and a group of place mats and napkins rings for $1.

Tere’s plush stuffed animals, marked at $10, would go for $17 to $25 elsewhere.

If the Greenbergs can maintain this quality at these prices, the new entry into the San Fernando Valley’s bargain sources will be with us for a long time.

Hello & Good Buys, 17612 Ventura Blvd., Encino. Hours: Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (818) 981-4955.

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WEEKEND SUPERSALE: A holiday liquidation sale is in progress at Bailey’s Men’s Resale and its sister store with apparel for women, Bailey’s Backstreet. Figure 30-50% off already low prices.

Bailey’s Men’s Resale, 109 E. Union St., Pasadena, (626) 449-0201. Bailey’s Backstreet, 93 E. Union Alley, Pasadena, (626) 449-4101. Sale runs through November.