Consignment stores are apartnership between the business and the clothing's

Tag : clothing
Rethreads, on Preston Road just south of the LBJ Freeway, spun offas a men's-only store in 1974 from the venerable ClotheshorseAnonymous. Now packed with men's and women's clothing, it's ownedby Ingrid Denny, a German-born former mechanical engineer. Thestore is exceptionally stuffed right now, she said.
"I really suspect these are people who are saying, 'I don't know ifthat house is mine next year, and I'd better start cleaning house,'" she said.
Unlike other secondhand stores, consignment stores are apartnership between the business and the clothing's original owner.People bring in clothes and sign a contract – usually goodfor 60 or 90 days. The business sets the price, and the markdownsif the item doesn't quickly sell. If it does sell, the store takesa cut, usually 40 percent or 50 percent, and sends the rest to theoriginal owner.
Here's an open secret: A lot of the "used" clothing has never beenworn.
Sometimes, it's from a regular retail store that overbought or wentout of business. Sometimes, it's samples from designers ormanufacturers. And a lot of unworn clothing comes from individuals,said GaylynLipp, who runs B & B Resale at Coit and Arapahoroads with her husband, Howard.
"They lose weight. They gain weight. And some of them are justshopaholics who have more dollars than sense," she said.
On a recent day, Robyn Brown was looking through B&B's partydresses. Ms. Brown, a home-schooling mom, also buys her kids'clothes from consignment stores, she said.
A couple of her children are having growth spurts – 6 inchesin six months – requiring whole new wardrobes.
"To clothe children, that quickly costs a whole lot of money," shesaid.
Her favorite consignment purchase: jeans, because styles don'tchange much from year to year.
Consignment stores started out as a way for women with high-priceddesigner clothes to clean out their closets – and get somecash back. These days, each store has its own personality: somewith mostly kids' stuff, some with a good selection of men'sclothing, some with lots of jewelry and accessories.
Anonymously Yours, at Forest Lane and Abrams Road, specializes inwedding gowns and dresses for the bride's mom. Rene Bankston openedthe store 24 years ago and started featuring wedding gowns afterdiscovering how expensive her own wedding dress would be.
Every dress arrives with a story. This week, she has an informalVera Wang suitable for a beachside wedding. New, it was about$2,400. It's priced at $299 because it's 3 years old and hadsignificant alterations.
So why would the seller take the time and trouble to sell the gownfor what will maybe net her $150?
" 'Cause I'm divorced and don't want it in my house.' That'sexactly what she told me," Ms. Bankston said.Consignment
shopping tips
• Know the retail prices of stuff you're looking for, soyou'll recognize a bargain.
• Most stores specialize. Information about many local storesis on the Consignment Association of Dallas Web site,www.consignmentdallas.com.
• Watch for sales. Many stores have them monthly.
• Find out the store's markdown schedule. Merchandise thatdoesn't sell gets cheaper.
• Make an offer. It's not a chain store, after all, and maybethey'll dicker.