THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 8, 1996 TAG: 9603070158
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY REBECCA A. MYERS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 201 lines
WEEKS BEFORE THE grand opening of Portsmouth's newest consignment shop, someone had already placed dibs on a little blue dress with dark blue polka dots.
But the new owner of the old dress had to wait until today's ribbon cutting at The Top Drawer to pick up her vintage treasure: an A-line, sleeveless dress with an empire waist and matching jacket, made in the 1960s and carrying a price tag of about $60.
``She has been back twice to look at it,'' says Theresa C. Williams, owner of the second-hand men's and women's clothing boutique at Academy Crossing Shopping Center.
Though the store has been open since Feb. 15, Williams decided to use the first three weeks just to accept merchandise, not sell it.
``I started with nothing,'' she says. ``And now my racks are just unbelievable.''
Consignment stores work by taking second-hand items from the public to sell at discounted prices, usually about half what they sold for new. If an item doesn't sell within a certain number of days, its price is periodically reduced until the contract period is up.
If the item sells, the shop owner splits the proceeds with the original owner, who receives from 40 to 60 percent of the selling price. If the merchandise doesn't sell, the original owner may retrieve it or allow it to be donated to charity.
The Top Drawer bills itself as an ``upscale'' consignment store that accepts only ``high quality, well-known, brand-name clothing.''
``I don't claim to be a thrift shop or anything of that sort,'' says Williams, who managed a doctor's office for 13 years before starting her own business.
A quick peek at the ladies racks reveals labels bearing names like Liz Claiborne, Anne Klein, The Limited and Express. A Liz Claiborne denim top sells for $22. A pair of Levi Strauss jeans shorts goes for $6. A men's London Fog coat: $40.
``We usually set the price anywhere from 30 to 50 percent of what the item sold for new,'' Williams says. ``That is, assuming it is in like-new condition, which is only what we'll accept.''
Consignment stores have become increasingly popular in the last few years. The Top Drawer appears to be the fifth to open in the immediate Portsmouth area in the last four years.
Getting a precise handle on them in Portsmouth is difficult, however, because the city doesn't classify consignment shops in its business license listings. The Yellow Pages lists just three.
Nationwide, the number of shops that sell second-hand merchandise is growing by an estimated 20 percent each year, says Adele Meyer, association manager for the National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops, based in Michigan.
She cites three reasons:
``Because recycling is so popular, because people are always interested in saving and because it's a low start-up-cost business to go into.''
In fact, The Top Drawer opened a few doors down from another Academy Crossing consignment store, Babes 'N' Toyland. Since each store caters to its own niche, neither feels threatened by the other.
``I carry children's clothes, toys, furniture, accessories, bedding, linens, car seats - virtually everything that appeals to a child,'' says owner Sharon Devine.
The sidewalk in front of her store is strewn with cribs, strollers, baby swings and walkers. On a recent weekday, a hobby horse with a $40 price tag shared space next to a puppet show easel that sold for $9.99.
Inside, Devine has 2,600 square feet of selling space, of which she uses every inch. In addition to the 27 racks of clothes - in sizes from preemie to 14 - Devine has stacks of bins containing socks, rubber pants, training pants and bibs, as well as shelves overflowing with stuffed animals, books, toys and shoes.
It was Devine's three children - ages 3, 10 and 12 - who inspired her to open the second-hand store about a year ago as a way to help other families.
``Unless you have a family member that you can pass your goods down to, it's very hard to recycle them,'' Devine says. ``And I know that there's a lot of money invested in children's clothing.''
Babes 'N' Toyland is unique from most consignment stores because it will pay cash for or trade merchandise, as well as accept it on consignment, says Devine, who worked as a Radio Shack manager for about seven years.
Her store caters to shoppers ``at both ends of the spectrum,'' she says.
``We have mothers who are in the HER Shelter (for battered women and their children) that are coming in and looking for bargains.
``And then we have, on the other end, the grandparent who has the disposable time and the disposable cash and wants to spoil their grandchildren.''
Babes 'N' Toyland is one of three children's consignment stores in or near the city line, but that doesn't concern Devine.
``I think we're so specialized in our own unique ways that we really don't bump into each other. As a matter of fact, the owner of Velveteen Rabbit comes in here from time to time to say hi.''
The Velveteen Rabbit, near Academy Crossing at 3115 Western Branch Blvd. in Chesapeake, is a small boutique that specializes in children's clothing and accessories.
``This store is particularly appealing because they have new clothing, as well as the consignment,'' says Mary Lee Kyper of Suffolk, shopping for her two granddaughters, ages 2 and 4.
In her hands, Kyper holds two dresses from the winter-clearance consignment rack. Each dress, originally at $12, had been reduced by 40 percent.
``On name-brand clothes, you can usually save 50 percent or better,'' she says.
It had always been Diane Wand's dream to open a children's clothing store, but after looking into it, she realized she would never be able to afford the overhead.
``That's when I started checking into consignment,'' says Wand, who opened the Velveteen Rabbit in 1992. Though she works full time at Casey Auto Group, she still manages the store every Saturday, while two part-time assistants run it during the week.
One of them, Robin Cooper, acknowledges that it's the consignment end of the business that pays the bills.
``We could not stay in business without the consignment. We could not just sell new and stay in business. We have to do both.''
Wand attributes the growing popularity of second-hand stores to the region's stagnant economy.
``I think that people's salaries have pretty much stayed the same, but the price of clothing has gone up.''
Michelle Annarino, owner of a consignment children's shop at Elmhurst Square Shopping Center, says she opened The Baby Boutique three years ago to help other single parents like herself.
``My tastes are much higher than my check book,'' concedes Annarino, a former restaurant manager. Yet it was important to her that her 4-year-old daughter wear quality merchandise.
``She's a beautiful child, and I want her clothes to do her justice. But I couldn't afford the prices.''
So Annarino opened her own second-hand children's store, in 1993. Since then, her daughter, Fallon, has become a ``walking business card.''
``Whenever someone asks her, `Where did you get that pretty little outfit?' she always tells them, `The Baby Boutique.' ''
About 85 percent of Annarino's inventory is clothes, up to size 6x. She also has a limited amount of space for items like strollers and high chairs.
In a display case at the front counter, Annarino carries handmade baby caps, booties and blankets. She also sells personalized, cross-stitched bibs for $5 each. A homemade crib comforter sells for $34.
``Our goal is to be an upscale baby boutique,'' Annarino says. ``And with the cost of baby clothes out there and the way they outgrow them so quickly, it's just smart shopping.''
Terry Amos stopped in at The Baby Boutique on her way to Wal-Mart, she says, to see if the store carried children's safety gates. She needed one for her 1-year-old granddaughter, Essence.
``I wanted to check here first before running all the way out there,'' says Amos, who lives in downtown Portsmouth.
Right before Christmas, Amos bought about 20 sleepers from the store for her granddaughter.
``I shop here because the prices are good and the quality is good.''
Just a few miles down the road, also on Portsmouth Boulevard, another consignment store has been in business for about nine months.
``It's great therapy for those who love to shop - without spending a lot of money,'' says Pam Stone, co-owner of Secrets, a store for women located behind Dail's Home Center.
Stone, a former manager with Hofheimer's Shoes, opened the store last June with longtime friend Norma Hale, a systems analyst with the government.
``Norma had a lot of the initial inventory, and for about three months I started telling everybody what we were going to do - and we started stocking her garage with inventory.
``By the time we opened, I had enough stuff to fill the store for that season. And that was really just through family and friends.''
Stone shopped consignment stores for years in Norfolk and Virginia Beach and felt there was a great need for one in Portsmouth.
``We need to keep some of that business right here in Portsmouth,'' says Stone, who lives near Highland Park.
Since opening the store, Stone says she has met many women similar to herself.
``Most women have things that are of really good quality but have hardly been worn, and they're either not going to wear them because they've gained or lost too much weight . . . or they're just shopaholics like me.''
In recent weeks, Stone has been holding sidewalk sales to clear out her winter merchandise. Dozens of sweaters, marked down to $4, covered one table. Fur coats - including a silver fox, beaver, seal and several rabbits - were marked down to $100. A wedding gown that originally sold for $1,200 had been reduced to $550.
About a third of Stone's business is layaways. Merchandise that doesn't sell within 60 days is donated to the HER Shelter for battered women.
In the fall, Stone would like to offer a workshop for women to ``teach them how to shop consignment and to let them know that it really is OK,'' she says.
``Some people are OK with it, but then other people will bring you their clothes, but they won't shop.
``I think the more publicity we get, the more people will realize it's OK.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff color photo on cover by Mark Mitchell
Merchandise in consignment shops...
Staff photos by JIM WALKER
Saleswoman Barbara Veltri shows Mary Lee Kyper a dress at The
Velveteen Rabbit, a consignment store that offers new and used
children's clothing and accessories.
Robin Cooper is a part-time assistant manager at The Velveteen
Rabbit, on Western Branch Boulevard.
Pamela Stone opened her consignment store, Secrets, about nine
months ago on Portsmouth Boulevard. ``It's great therapy for those
who love to shop - without spending a lot of money.''
by CNB