Jewelry is a fun and inexpensive way to keep up with trends, make your outfits pop, and keep your look fresh and cool. This spring, the choices are pretty open. Whether you want to go for a feminine and delicate necklace or a bold statement piece, there are many options this year. Great accessories can really pull an outfit together. Go colorful, silver, gold…or mix them all! For a great look, monogrammed pieces are on-trend or add some bright turquoise or red bracelets to your wrists – or a great pair of fun geometric earrings.
Spring is a great time to experiment with trends – and jewelry is one of the best ways to do it!
It’s that time of year…the sun is finally shining more, the breezes are warmer, and we are really hoping – and it’s still early to say this – that spring is finally here! After a long winter, it’s often time to reevaluate, refresh, and redecorate.
It’s the time of year for garage sales. They’re pretty big in most places – people love to walk through neighborhoods and hit all the garage sales. That old saying that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure is quite true. And garage sales are a lot of fun. But, you don’t get guaranteed quality from garage sales. Sometimes you get something really cheap, but it might not last or it’s just too worn out.
Then there’s New Uses.
We’re the better alternative to a garage sale. With us, you get high quality merchandise that is “gently-used,” and actually like-new. And we carry so many different household items. From great home décor in artwork and many other items, as well as furniture, lamps, kitchen items and small appliances, and even electronics…and more! Our prices are up to 70% off of retail and all of our items are in fantastic shape and in great working order.
On top of that, we buy your “gently-used” items that you can get cash on-the-spot for or use it towards a newer piece for your household. One of the best parts of this is that you’re recycling something that is still in good shape and can be sold to someone else – and it will be new to them – while you can find some like-new décor for your home.
It might be fun to peruse garage sales and enjoy a nice day outside in the spring weather, but you aren’t going to get the quality you get in one stop at New Uses. Stop by your local New Uses today – we can almost guarantee you’ll not only be able to bring in some of your own pieces to sell, but you’ll be able to find some great buys and beautiful new décor for your home…just in time for spring!
This is a great interview with one of our franchisees, Kathy Bosley. She tells us what she has learned over the years going from a teenager who loved fashion to an owner of a Clothes Mentor store in Tyler, Texas. Source: Entrepreneur.comFranchise Players is Entrepreneur’s Q&A interview column that puts the spotlight on franchisees. Kathy Bosley has always been attuned to what is in style. As a teenager, she would shop in off-season stores and discount retailers with money she saved working up to three jobs at a time. These thrifty practices followed Bosley into adulthood and helped her discover Clothes Mentor, an upscale resale franchise. Today she owns and operates one of the most successful Clothes Mentor locations in the country. Here’s what she has learned.
Name: Kathy Bosley
Franchise owned: Clothes Mentor in Tyler, Texas
How long have you owned a franchise? My husband, Lane and I started the process in October of 2012 and officially opened for business in January of 2014. We have been open for business for about two years. He helps with the payroll and business end of things and I take care of the front of the store.
Why franchising? Growing up in the 80s I loved brands like Polo, Calvin Klein, Gloria Vanderbilt and Jordache, but it was challenging to afford them so I would try to find ways to get them at a lower cost. I would go to a warehouse that sold designer jeans for less and shop at stores like Marshall’s to get name brands for less. As an adult I continued to search for great deals on great brands by shopping upscale resale stores in Dallas. When my father died he left some money and I wanted to make a good investment with it. My husband and I decided we wanted to open a resale store like the ones I enjoyed in Dallas. I wanted to make sure the store had a lovely interior and wouldn’t look like a thrift store. I knew it needed great signage, matching hangers and racks, a lovely smell and a reliable computer program to price the items. Neither my husband nor I had taken any business classes so we knew we would need help. A friend told me about Clothes Mentor in McKinney, Texas. My husband and I visited the store and knew right away, with their help, we would have the classy store we wanted! With their help we could have a successful business and fund our college for our three children and our future retirement.
What were you doing before you became a franchise owner? I originally went to the University of Houston planning to be a sportscaster and studied Spanish as my minor. While that was lots of fun, what I really wanted to do was teach elementary school. So, I went back to school to become certified and taught Spanish at the public school, private school and home school levels in Tyler, Texas. I opened the store and continued teaching the first two years, but realized I had too much on my plate. I now work in the store full time. I love helping women put together great outfits composed of great brands at an affordable price!
Why did you choose this particular franchise? I wanted a women’s upscale resale store and I knew I would need support. A friend told me about the Clothes Mentor in McKinney, Texas. I visited the store and knew it would be perfect. When I walked into the store I was very surprised by how new everything looked! I loved it because it was important to me that the store be clean and organized like a new-clothing store and never get the “thrift-store” feel. With Clothes Mentor I knew we would accomplish that.
How much would you estimate you spent before you were officially open for business? To open the store we spent approximately $200,000. There was a $20,000 franchise fee and then we used the $180,000 to acquire all the store fixtures, finish the building of the location, purchase computers, $48,000 worth of clothing, as well as to pay staff and get the lease.
Where did you get most of your advice/do most of your research? At the very beginning I visited numerous resale stores. I asked lots of questions and decided what I wanted and didn’t want. Lane and I visited Clothes Mentor for a “Discovery Day” filled with lots of questions. After that we talked to Todd and Becky VanVuren at the McKinney, Texas store. Finally, we got wise counsel from some small business owners we knew in Tyler and from our church.
What were the most unexpected challenges of opening your franchise? Unexpected challenges included the building process and buying process taking much longer than anticipated, learning how to hire efficiently, and taming the budget after over spending on staffing and advertising the first year.
What advice do you have for individuals who want to own their own franchise? Do research that relates to your whole lifestyle, not just what will make money. The fact that I have a passion for getting great brands to ladies at an affordable price makes the challenges worth overcoming. Also, rely on all that Clothes Mentor or your franchise provides to help you. They are in place to make you successful.
What’s next for you and your business? I am looking forward to a great year ahead with fantastic business. One of my favorite parts of owning the store is “mentoring” customers who want help putting together stylish outfits. We will be putting a larger emphasis on this in the coming year. This part of town near the store is developing greatly and I know we will benefit from this. I plan to have a much larger staff by the fall when a new middle school opens across the street from our store. I also plan to learn all I can at our Clothes Mentor conference this summer so I can strengthen areas I need to improve. Eventually, I hope to train a manager to take my place and spend more time with our three children.
Kathy Bosley in her Clothes Mentor Store (Image credit: Kathy Bosley)
An article from the Maplewood Living Newsletter highlights a Device Pitstop store that recently opened in Maplewood, Minnesota in their Maplewood Business Highlight page (see page 6 of the newsletter). Source: Maplewood Living
Buy, Sell, Trade, Service and Upgrade Laptops and Mobile Devices at a Low Cost.
Cathy and Joe Ferrazzo own the Device Pitstop laptop and mobile device store located at 2950 White Bear Avenue in Maplewood. Always living in the Twin Cities, Cathy was a purchasing agent, ran a small residential cleaning business then stayed home to raise their five children. Joe has spent the past 33 years in sales and marketing. The Ferrazzo’s were looking for a family business. After reading a newspaper article about the Device Pitstop franchise, and knowing that their son and son-in-law were savvy with computers, technology and other devices, they were eager to learn more about the franchise. After visits to the Minnetonka store, they felt Device Pitstop would combine their skill sets and provide a future for the family. Now, they have opened a Device Pitstop store in Maplewood and plan to open another store in Woodbury. Their son, AJ Ferrazzo, will eventually manage one store and their son-in law, Chris Horning, the other.
At Device Pitstop, we’re all about being kind to the earth while still offering you great buys on refurbished and “gently-used” tablets, iPads, smartphones, iPhones, laptops, MacBooks, desktop computers, and iMacs.
Recycling is important to us – and we think that reusing computers and various parts is a great way to recycle. At our stores, “gently-used” devices are either brought back to life or we use the parts to repair other devices. For anything that is no longer usable, we take it to a local recycling center.
We are always looking to maximize the value of your devices and minimize the impact on the environment. We’re thankful for earth day…and we’re glad we’re in the resale business – the type of business that’s kind to the earth every day of the year.
For the Clothes Mentor in Chandler, Arizona, shoppers are really happy with the fabulous buys they find at the store on “gently-used” designer clothing and accessories that are like new. Take a look at this article showcasing this fun store and their customers. Source: KPHO/KTVK (KPHO Broadcasting Corporation) Most people don’t like paying full price for anything, which could be why the Valley’s resale market has been growing stronger each year.
“In this day and age, everybody’s kind of watching their money,” Darlene Vollhardt said.Darlene Vollhardt loves to shop, and found that resale shops such as Clothes Mentor in Chandler let her shop without feeling guilty. (Source: KPHO/KTVK)She loves to shop, so she found a way to do so without feeling guilty. “I have a dress that I’m going to try on,” Vollhardt said. “It’s [originally] $168, I believe it’s for $14, brand new with the tags.” Clothes Mentor, of Chandler, buys and sells gently worn clothes, shoes and handbags that aren’t more than a few seasons old. To make sure Vollhardt doesn’t break the bank, she sells there too. “I started a little envelope with whatever I sell, I keep it in an envelope and that’s my spending here,” Vollhardt said. “I’ve brought in maybe just a white laundry basket of clothes, nothing major in my mind, and left with $130,” said Rachel Roy, who supplements her family’s income by selling either her own clothes or deals she finds online to Clothes Mentor. “I do have five kids and so a lot goes back to them,” Roy said. “We have clothes that start at $1.50 and go up to, I think our most expensive item is $35 for a Kate Spade dress,” said Clothes Mentor owner Amy Malmquist. According to Ted Manley, the vice president of apparel lines for Clothes Mentor’s parent company, NTY Franchise, resale now makes up about 20 percent of the total retail market. While most resale store openings are growing by about 7 percent each day, Manley said they’re growing at an even faster rate. “People still want really nice things but they don’t want to pay retail prices for them,” Malmquist said. Clothes Mentor has been so successful in Chandler they plan to open more soon throughout the Valley.
Here’s another great commercial for New Uses! In this one, you can see that we offer even more great items for your home – furniture and lamps. We have a large variety of both, and remember, with an inventory that is always changing, you never know what great treasure you may find. Maybe a great “gently-used” couch that’s like-new, or a chair that fits just so in a corner spot. And that isn’t even getting into all the different types of lamps we have. Come to New Uses and see what you can find…you might just find something to make your bedroom or living room look like new again!
Don’t we all want a new wardrobe? Your closet is full, but you can’t find anything to wear? It might just be time to change it up a bit and bring some things into Clothes Mentor. Source: Fox19 Now
The best part is you can sell pieces that have been hanging in the back of your closet that just never seem to make it to the front – and either pocket the cash or use it to get some “gently-used,” like-new pieces for yourself to freshen up your wardrobe. We could all use some different, and maybe trendier, styles for spring!
In a new spot for one of our stores, Stephanie, a store trainer, does a great job of explaining how resale works at Clothes Mentor – and the great buys you can get on high-end, designer apparel, handbags, and accessories…at prices up to 70% off of retail.
Here’s the next in our series of new commercials for New Uses. This time the focus is on the great home decor you can get for your home. Bring in some of your “gently-used” home decor, and find some fun new pieces for your home. It’s fun to decorate with new pieces and give your home a fresh look…just in time for spring!
Here’s another one of our new advertisements for New Uses for you to watch. This time the focus is on home electronics…and more! Source: YouTube
New Uses carries a large variety of home electronics. With everything from DVD players to digital cameras, there is plenty for you to choose from. Each store has its own unique inventory, so be sure and come in and see what is available – and remember each store’s inventory changes frequently so shop often!
Michelle Vaudrin is the Senior Director of Operations for Children’s Orchard and Clothes Mentor. Before joining Children’s Orchard in 2016, she worked in leadership roles for Burlington, American Eagle, and Macy’s.
Michelle attended the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a Retail Merchandising and Business Administration degree. She brings an extensive background in training in strategies, merchandising, customer service, and multi-unit store operations to the team.
Jenny Mann
Vice President of Operations | Executive Director of IT
Jenny Mann is the Vice President of Operations for Clothes Mentor and Children’s Orchard. In January of 2020, Jenny also took on the role of Executive Director of IT, overseeing BST, our Point of Sale system, and the e-commerce platforms for both brands. Prior to this, Jenny was the Director of Marketing for NTY Franchise Company since January 2013. Jenny started with the NTY Franchise Company in 2008 with Clothes Mentor and has held many roles, including; Store Manager, New Store Opener, and Regional Operations Manager. Before joining NTY Franchise Company, Jenny worked for Old Navy (Gap, Inc.) and Target in management roles.
Chad Olson
Chief Operations Officer
Chad Olson has been Chief Operations Officer of NTY Franchise Company since January 2007. From May 1994 to December 2006, he held various positions for Winmark Corporation (f/k/a Grow Biz International, Inc.), including Field Operations Manager for the Once Upon a Child concept from 1999 to 2002, and Regional Operations Manager for the Plato’s Closet concept from 2002 to 2006.
Sean Marrs
IT/Tech Administrator
IT/Tech Administrator
Marissa Stacy
Jr. Graphic Designer
Jr. Graphic Designer
Ashlyn Aarness
Social Media Specialist
Social Media Specialist
Ashley Huebner
Director of Marketing
Ashley Huebner oversees Children’s Orchard’s marketing and advertising efforts to drive sales, build brand awareness, and lead the planning on how to market the brand effectively. She leads creative initiatives by driving the brands’ vision in aesthetics, tone, and trends to elevate our brand position as a leader in the resale category.
Ashley joined the Children’s Orchard team in 2015. Ashley has 10+ years of Graphic Design experience. Ashley holds a strong background in design, user experience, and a passion for creativity. She holds a BA degree in Advertising and Art.
