Need Ideas for Store

one piece of advice, do NOT accept/sell used carseats, so many people dont realize how unsafe they are b/c you dont know if they are expired, recalled, or even worse, have been in a crash. also you would be liable if something happened to a child who was in a seat you sold and could be sued so its not worth the risk. just my 2 cents

One cute idea for decorating I saw in a shop outside of Atlanta was an old fashioned clothesline strung across the shop with smaller children's clothes hung on it. It was eye-catching & let you know immediately where the kids clothes were. You could also suspend a wire from the ceiling and hang a shirt over the shirt section, etc. I made the assumption that you were handling clothes, but if not, the best of luck to you anyway.

Keep it simple and inviting we have one here where we live and the name of course is bumble bee and the store is decorated in a bee theme. Make sure you keep the store clean and organized and prices way below retail. Also limit the accessory section, to many consignment stores like to have all baby gadgets out at all times and that can become a mess. Also a thought would be to have a play clothes section with older not so nice clothes for a quarter, but would get chuncked in a land fill, Heaven knows our children need play clothes. God bless you and your family in this adventure.

Not really, but I do make hair bows if you are interested.

M. and Amara 8/25/01

B.,
There are so many comments, and the advice is overwhelmingly wonderful. I would like to say sit down and google different types of Consigment and Resale shops.
Visit some of the ones in your area and some that are on the outskirts of where you live. Check out some magazines whenever you are in the stores ,look in them and see if there's something that you see that you might like. And most of all try to keep in mind that if you were the one that was shopping in a Consigment and Resale shop what is it that you would like to see.. I agree friendliness, great aroma, cleanliness,and organization all plays a big part in owning a business. Remember this First Impressions are what people remember. I wish you the best, and always give GOD the glory. All things are possible through him .

Be Blessed

You could try framing old calendar pictures like victorian or animal pictures,even flowers- get old frames at garage or estate sales or charity stores.or do a 70's theme with different colored bean bags,party lights in 70's colors.

I think as a former retail store owner, and present day healthcare facility owner that providing a designated play area for kids while mom is shopping is a great idea...and as long as the store is clean and bright and welcoming, any decorations work...lattice is pretty cheap and easily painted and you can display clothes easily on it...also, pastic "milk cartons" turned on the side make good display/storage areas for not much money...anything to do with business is expensive...good luck...Mitzi T

B.,

I hate to sound like a downer, and really, I wish you a ton of luck in your new venture ... but, I worry that all that extra time you are getting to spend with your kiddos, that you love so much, is getting ready to diminish ... drastically! Owning a store is much more work and much more time consuming than working for someone else. And, if you are hoping to make money on items with a low retail cost, you may not have the money to pay others to work for you.

If you haven't done so already, please talk to SEVERAL store owners before beginning your venture.

Again, I am sorry to sound negative. You just sound like you are having a great time with your kids; and while this might seem like a way to work & be with them, a store is a big time killer. Instead, you might want to look into having a community or neighborhood consignment sale a couple of times each year. I know a couple of people who have found it to be quite lucrative with less time commitment.

Good luck!

I have been to lots of resale stores and I will pass on my views.

I can say that nearly everyone I have been in has had that "old building" smell and it is a HUGE turn off. Some even smelled like mold and made me start itching. So a very big impression that your customers will have is not of what they even see. For example: 2 consignment stores in my downtown neighborhood. I walk into one and am instantly bombarded by cinnamon and floral odors to cover up the musty smell. Well, they could have the entire store filled with my size clothes and everything be priced $1.00 each piece and I would never set foot in that place again. It had cute decorations and looked great from the street but it went out of business in less than 6 months. The one next door smells like it was cleaned...yesterday? The fragrance is extremely subtle but still there and not at all offensive. Kind of like a being out side after a light misty rain. Where the air is fresh and clean.

Another comparison: The first store is so packed on the rack that you have to shove the clothes to see what you are looking at. The racks are close together and confusing. The sizes are all mixed up and you have to keep asking where different things are, like where are the size 18 shorts? or the sz. med. short sleeve tops, etc.... The other store all tops are on 1 long "parallel bar" type rack and it starts at XS and goes through XXXL and the clothes and hung in each size section by color. The next rack is all the pants sized accordingly, the next all the dresses, the next all the suits and sets, very easy to navigate.

The next issue I have with the 2 stores is lighting, one is gloomy and dark the other is bright. They are both in historical type buildings and have similar features. The good one has the antique brass chandeliers from the 1800's and a few secondary lighting fixtures, there are no spots in this store where you can't tell exactly what color something is, or what condition it is in.

Another issue is what to do with your children while you shop. Another store I visited several times in another town had a small room where the kids could go and play but it was in the back storage area and I couldn't hear the kids from anywhere in the store so I was constantly going back to check on them. The store I visit most has a small room off the main room and they have a small tv up on the wall that the kids can't reach, they have several toys that fit all ages from 1 yr. and up (not a single toy in that room is too small and a choke hazard), and I can hear everything being said from just about anywhere in the store.

So, my conclusion is: it doesn't matter what you have on the walls to make your store look good or cute or classy or anything. It is all about the 5 senses. I dont' even remember if the store I like has a single picture on the wall and I am in there at least 2-3 times a month. I don't feel like I need to wash my hands after a I leave the store, I feel like I need to wash my hands before I touch anything in there because it is so clean.

Just my 2 cents worth.

B., I'm not sure on the decorating ideas but i live in Brandon and when my mom comes up we LOVE to go consignment shopping, Tell me where your store will be and when it will be open. I am a mother of a 1 year old and i have a TON of things that could stand to be gotten rid of. Good Luck!!

I have a bow making business that I do out of my home. Is there any need for hairbows in your store?

B., I am co-owner of Dixie Doodle Country Store and Dixie Cafe located in central TN. You need a theme, is it country or what? Are you gearing your cosignments toward children, babies, etc. or will it be a store that carries all sorts of items?

Our store has the country look which is hunter green and a light cream look. We carry handmade items, from soaps and lotions on up to handmade cutting boards and rolling pins. I use nice silk scarves to sit the items on, even the scarves are for sale.

We have a little reading area in the store for the children. Customers can shop and their children can sit and read books we have picked up and put in our small children library. Our teddy bears, etc are also in that area so it gets attention.

We also have a POW/MIA dedication section in the store. My husband and son are both vets and our partner is a vet so we chose to dedicate a portion of our store strictly to vets and vet families.

Diane, I see that you have a wee one in heaven. I also have a wee one there and feel strongly about angels. I have a section in the store that is strictly angels. I collect every one I can find. There is something very calming about walking into a store and you see angels, you know it's a good place to be.

I can help you with a few ideas if you like. You are more than welcome to write to me at either ____@____.com or ____@____.com.

J. Blue Star Mom and Proud Army Mom

Hi B.
The idea is to sell your items and when you decorate with them people will not want to buy them. Keep the place neat and in an order so when customers come looking they can understand your system.
when the items are clean, in good condition, sized and not all bunched up(i.e. kids clothes with kids clothes and sized.) You will do just fine.
Also when you use the name of your store as a theme( i.e. The clothes line) it will also draw customers. Good luck
please keep us posted and if you need a source for kid clothes(seconds & overstock) let me know.

I don't know how much time and money you have to spend on this project but murals are a cute way to designate the different depts. are and princess theme for the girls section and fire truck for boys, teddy bears or building blocks for infants etc... (I am assuming it is for kids.) I also like the idea of a place for kids to play (make sure all surfaces are non porus and easy to clean.) There are 2 resale shops I go to regularly-both have a place for kids to play-one store is small enough I can hear my daughter (a chatterbox even by herself) playing and the racks are all pretty short so I can see her too, at the other shop the playplace is practically hidden from all the shopping areas-my daughter doesn't play in that one-if I can't see her, I can't keep her safe, just keep that in mind. You will be busy running your business, you don't need to be responsible for non-attentive parents' kids. Good luck with your shop, I've thought of doing this myself!

Hey! Where will your new store be? I love shopping cosignment for my 2 boys and would love to come by and see the shop. Thanks! A.

If you like abstract art, my husband sells small (5X7) original abstract paintings for only $20. You could frame them with a simple black frame. His website is www.henrymuseoriginals.com. He can do any kind of picture you want, or other sizes, if you wanted bigger. Personally, I like bright colors and an eclectic style. Will this be for all sizes, or mostly children's sizes?

Have some sort of fenced off play area for children to play in while parents are shopping.

I tried to respond to your request but I just can't get over how many people think it is okay to leave their kids in a play area and shop...in 2008, where you can't even turn on the TV without seeing a crime against a child. I hope that you don't choose to provide a play area, unless you have the smallest store in the world!
On the decorating side of things, when I go thrift shopping, I want cheap. Try to make the store comfortable, maybe crafty but not fancy. If I go into a thrift store and it looks really nice, I instantly know the prices are going to be too high.
A cute border we did once was to get some paint and have our kids each use one color per hand and we let them create a handprint border. That might look cute. Maybe stencil a border using types of items you sell. I imagine that you could end up with allot of really cool stuff to use as you go. A clean, organized store, good prices, and friendly customer service as well as a bathroom/dressing room would keep me coming back. If I didn't live in OK

Good Luck, I've always wanted to do this too.