Classy Kids Consignment Sells Bargain Clothing, Toys

Posted

Children grow out of their clothing and toys quickly, leaving parents little choice but to purchase new items for next year. But what about those lightly used items? Wouldn’t it be nice to make some money on last season’s favorites, and put it towards this year’s must-haves?

Such is the idea behind Classy Kids Consignment, the local consignment company which sells lightly used clothing, toys and books for newborns, babies, children and teens as well as baby strollers, carriers and maternity clothing.

Classy Kids Consignment is an independently owned children’s consignment shop. Once a season it holds a five-day sale in each of its three Northern Virginia locations in Manassas, Woodbridge and Fairfax.

This week Classy Kids is holding a sale at the Manassas Fairgrounds at 8100 Dumfries Road. Since Sunday, team members and volunteers have been busy accepting items. On Tuesday they opened for a special pre-sale for volunteers, consignees and new parents.

This Wednesday, they are opened to the public, selling summer and fall items.

Classy Kids will stay open in Manassas until Sunday at which time the store will move to Woodbridge.

If you have heard of Classy Kids Consignment, it is because the shop has become a scuttlebutt amongst moms. Once parents discover the sale, they often want to take part in it, selling their children’s used clothing and toys for 60-70 percent profit, and volunteering their time for a chance to shop the pre-sale.

Ten years ago Mona Tisler moved to Manassas from Milwaukee, where consignment shops were common. However, when Tisler decided to open her shop in 2005, she was not aware of any similar stores in the area.

Thinking it would be an option other parents would appreciate, she started the business while she was a stay-at-home mom.

“It was supposed to be a small part-time consignment. Our first one was in the downstairs of a church in Manassas, less than 1000 sq feet.”

Today they regularly rent out and fill large warehouses with their inventory.

“It’s blown up,” said team member Robin Blevins, who witnessed the growth of the company. “We were just in the little building. We were in Tackett’s Mill for Woodbridge for a while. We do Woodbridge, Fairfax and here (Manassas), but this has been the busiest one.”

According to Blevins, who lives in Nokesville, she sees many customers who come from the Bristow/Gainesville area to shop Classy Kids.

But Tisler and Blevins have also seen the rise of consignment shops all over.

“There are a lot of people that say they don’t shop anything but consignment,” Tisler said of her customers.

Others just feel they are getting a great deal. Because, although there has been a trend toward boutique baby fashion, the economy made it difficult for people to buy retail. This benefits consignment shops, which allows for people to get a bargain on even the most sought after items.

“There is always a deal out there,” said Blevins, pointing to the aisle of clothing and shelves of toys filling the 10,000 square foot warehouse. “I buy and sell in the sale.”

Blevins said she enjoys working at Classy Kids Consignment, because she feels as though she is providing a service to the community, helping people afford nice things for their families, while helping them earn extra income.

And Classy Kids Consignment makes certain the items they sell are in good condition. Although cosigners can conveniently price and tag their items on-line, Classy Kids inspects everything they sell on the floor.

They also suggest a retail price that is one-third to one-fourth of the item’s original cost. Having only a temporary site allows them to keep the cost down and consignees to keep more of the profits they make.

Best of all for bargain shoppers, they have a system whereby the bargains get better as the week progresses. Sellers are encouraged to drop prices every day of the sale. On Sunday consignees can pick up their unsold items; if they don't, Classy Kids will sell them for $1. After that time anything that did not sell will be donated to charity.

On Tuesday evening, pre-sale shoppers filled the store.

“This is the best sale ever,” said Rosario Reilly of Manassas. “(I come) because I have five children. It’s a good way to recycle your things, and it teaches the kids the value of money.”

Nicole Clark bought a fancy purse for her daughter at Classy Kids on Tuesday.

“I always find deals. I always find toys for my daughter. I just made her day!”

More information about Classy Kids Consignment will be found on their website.

back-to-school-shopping, children, classy-kids-consignment, consignment, fair-grounds-manassas, fairfax, featured, full-image, kids-clothes, kids-toys, manassas, manassas-fair-grounds, mona-tisler, prince-william, robin-blevins, second-hand-sale, second-hand-shop, shopping, used-clothes, used-items, used-toys, woodbridge