Check out this article from franchisingusamagazine.com to find out how Clothes Mentor is attracting two new customer groups:
Fashion show at Clothes Mentor’s 2016 conference in Minneapolis.
Upscale Resale Franchise Clothes Mentor Attracts New Customers
NTY Franchise Company’s flagship resale brand Clothes Mentor is expanding its fashion focus, attracting two new customer groups: plus-size and millennial women. Launching the push to better serve these demographics at this year’s conference in Minneapolis, the company produced two exciting fashion shows hosted by Mall of America trend expert Sara Rogers and featuring fashion bloggers Amanda Williams (mybellamoxie.com) and Davee Ek (daveesecrets.com), both nationally recognized in the plus-size and millennial spaces.
The lively shows were both entertaining and educational, as models showcased the hottest fashion trends for plus-size and millennial women while the experts elaborated on the tastes, lifestyle, shopping preferences and more for these customers.
Building off of the runway excitement, franchisees continued to learn more about Clothes Mentor’s new plus-size and millennial customers during in-depth training sessions. Topics included digital and data-driven marketing, the personal shopper program, maximizing social media and more—all of which have helped Clothes Mentor stores speak to new and existing customers on a more personal level than any other women’s fashion resale franchise in the country.
Franchisees left this year’s Clothes Mentor conference energized and inspired to make 2016 a big year by welcoming new plus-size and millennial customers into their stores.
Check out this great article from thepostnewspapers.com featuring Clothes Mentor Strongsville and how the store helps local women feel amazing without breaking the bank.
A business for women, supporting women
Clothes Mentor: helping clients feel like a million bucks without the sticker shock
By Jaime Anton
Photo by Jaime Anton. Store manager Jen Gavin, manager on duty Hannah Yatchko, owner Randi Zeid and manager on duty Kathie Wilkins are part of Strongsville’s Clothes Mentor team and enjoy assisting women in looking and feeling their best.
Every girl’s dream is to find stylish clothes and accessories for a fraction of the price, and when she’s no longer in love with her outfit, be able to return it for cash on the spot.
The staff at Clothes Mentor of Strongsville has been making this dream come true daily with gently used, affordable clothing.
“We have all your better mall brands: Ann Taylor, The Limited, Lane Bryant, The North Face, Lululemon, Chicos and designer handbags like Coach, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Michael Kors, Dooney and Bourke, but our prices are roughly 70 percent off retail. Nine times out of 10, we are even more than 70 percent off,” store owner Randi Zeid said.
With prices like this, great deals are the every day at Clothes Mentor, but their Saturday before Black Friday sale, Nov. 19, sweetens them even further.
“Every single item in the store will be 30-70 percent off of what it’s already marked,” Zeid said. “Most people are shopping for their family or kids this time of year. This is great to be able to come in early, take advantage of huge savings and shop for yourself.”
So whether it’s date night, a special occasion, pieces for work or a new wardrobe for a growing baby bump, Clothes Mentor has everything for nearly every size and shape.
“From work to play in sizes 0-26, we have updated styles to fit all your needs whether you are 20 or 120,” Zeid said.
Designer fashion for less
Shopping can be euphoric, and it can be frustrating, like when fighting crowds while rushing from store to store to put together one outfit, trying to find the right fit at the right price, searching for summer clothes in the dead of winter for a Caribbean cruise.
Clothes Mentor understands and tries to make it a convenient, fun shopping experience for every customer.
The store is not seasonal, meaning it always stocks summer dresses, shirts, skirts, capris, shorts, maternity, and even athletic wear and scrubs all year.
“We have shorts on the floor year round, so you can still buy for your vacation anytime,” Zeid said.
To take the stress out of shopping, the store launched a new, free service for women who simply don’t have the time to shop, who struggle to put together a look or who simply want to be adventurous.
Customers can fill out a form online at clothesmentor.com to be part of the store’s free personal shopper program.
“After you have filled it out, we contact you to have you come in and try on outfits we have pulled for you,” Jen Gavin, the store manager, said.
“It’s a free, one-hour styling appointment,” Zeid added. “If you have trouble coordinating your own outfits or you have a special event coming up or you don’t have time to peruse our racks, you can opt in, and we’ll have things ready for you to try on when you get here.”
Hot, new items are shared regularly on their Facebook and Instagram.
“If you see something you like, we can put it aside for you,” Gavin said. “If we get a nice maternity buy, within an hour we’ll see four pregnant women walk in. Maternity clothes are expensive and you’re wearing them for such a finite time. What’s nice is when you are done with them, you can come back in and sell them back to us.”
The store does more than help customers find the perfect outfit; it also puts cash back in their wallets.
“We pay cash for your better mall brands and designer items and jewelry that are current and in style, which to us means they have been in the stores in the last one to two years,” Gavin said. “If something’s been in the closet that you aren’t using, why not get a little bit of cash for it? Bring it here first, let us take a look at it, and we will see what we can take off your hands before you donate it.”
The store has a loyalty program for customers, as well as a texting program to find out about flash sales and earn rewards.
“We have a free app for your smartphone, so you can keep track of your loyalty points and set up a free styling appointment. Our loyalty program is all computerized now, so you don’t have to worry about keeping track of a card,” Zeid said.
Women supporting women
The store also livens up the shopping experience making it a night out with various events such as a Girls Night Out in the fall and spring, offering not only 20 percent off already low prices but also refreshments, raffles and vendors to make a fun night of it.
It’s about women supporting women for Zeid and her staff.
Every October the store raises awareness about breast cancer, featuring pink clothing front and center. One day each October, the store donates 10 percent of sales to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
“Our business is for women, so we want to support women,” Zeid said.
Zeid, who opened this franchise in 2012, said this is her favorite aspect of the business.
“I would definitely say my favorite thing is the customers. We have such warm relationships with so many of our customers. They tell us their stories, they bring us nice things,” she said. “And a happy customer is so invaluable.”
Gavin agrees.
“One of the best parts is seeing how happy customers are when they find something they love,” Gavin said. “They can come here and get a beautiful outfit for a lot less.”
The store is located at 15143 Pearl Road in Strongsville. Hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. For more information call, 440-238-8300 or visit clothesmentor.com/strongsville/.
From opening their stores to growing their businesses, find out what franchisees appreciate most about working with NTY Franchise Company:
“I’m thankful for franchising! Combining my entrepreneurship passion with best practices, systems and tools from a proven franchisor is a winning combination. 2016 was a great year! Our great DP Pit Crew worked incredibly hard with our wonderful customers, helping them to economize and optimize their digital life (computers, tablets and cell phones).” – Bradley R. Swenson, Device Pitstop Maple Grove
“Being a franchisee with NTY’s Clothes Mentor fulfills my dream of being my own boss while giving me the safety net of industry experts who are just as invested in my success as I am. I couldn’t imagine opening a business any other way.” – Jennifer Walters, Clothes Mentor Torrance
“This year we feel even more thankful than previous years. By opening our Clothes Mentor franchise, we fulfilled our dream of having a family business, and have the opportunity to spend more time together as well. Being a franchise owner has given us the opportunity to save for our retirement and provide long-term job security for our son. Our #Dream2016 has come through.” – Pieter de Smidt, Clothes Mentor Sugarland
“Being part of a franchise provides a broader opportunity for success, and gives an established brand to build on. I’m thankful for the partnership, resources, technology and ongoing support from the franchise I am partnered with.” – Shasta Webber, Children’s Orchard Huntersville
“There are so many things we love about franchising. One aspect is that we have a blueprint of how to run our business. We have other people in a like businesses to learn from and share ideas. We feel like we have an extended family in our relationships with our franchise companies and our employees. We could not do everything alone.” – Randi Zied, Clothes Mentor North Olmsted, Strongsville and Mayfield Heights
“We are thankful to show our children (ages 9-16) how to own a business. We’re thankful they’ll see how much hard work is required, how important good character is and what a blessing it is to work together as a family!” – Kathy and Lane Bosley, Clothes Mentor Tyler
“Franchising gives me the flexibility to make more family time. There are no clocks to punch, no supervisor to decline vacation requests.” – Brad Peterson, Device Pitstop Burnsville
“We are thankful for a franchise with a proven track record to give us the confidence to open multiple, very successful businesses. By following the ‘resale-retail recipe’ provided, we are not forced to build a business model from the ground up, but to utilize the wealth of knowledge our franchisor has handed to us to create our own businesses in our market and have the freedom to be creative and find ways to improve even more on operating our own individual stores.” – Shawn and Alyssa Cox, Clothes Mentor Charlotte Arboretum, Charlotte Midtown and Rock Hill
“I have owned several startup businesses (none of which were franchises) and it is a lot of work, more than people may think. I have now just started a Device Pitstop franchise and I am very thankful because they have taken every process and made it flawless. While I own my own business, I have a team of experts to lean on at all times. Priceless!” – Matt Paperi, Device Pitstop Overland Park
“After just spending 90 minutes with my franchise operations manager, I feel like I have a focused business strategy to wrap up 2016. And he planted seeds for me to start developing my 2017 business goals. I am thankful for having a built-in, business-savvy coach who wants us to succeed as much as we do.” – Chris Barnett, Clothes Mentor Springfield and West Chester
“People are always searching for that thing in life that provides them the opportunity to succeed. Franchising allows you to obtain independence through the fruits of your own efforts.” – Mike Thorn, Clothes Mentor Cordova
“I am thankful for the continued support from NTY with system updates and resources. Support like this is critical for the franchisees to keep up with and stay ahead of new technology. It also allows us time to focus on our store and marketing.” – Joe Ferrazzo, Device Pitstop Maplewood
“I’m thankful for deciding to open a franchise, because name recognition and corporate support from experienced franchisors, are two important factors to a successful business.” – Karla Fitzpatrick, Clothes Mentor Burnsville
“We are thankful to have found the opportunity to own a franchise CM store. Because of this, we moved back to our home state of Oklahoma to be near family, which encouraged more family to move here, too. We doubt this would have happened in the three years we’ve been here, without this major life change.” – Mike and Melanie Harris, Clothes Mentor Edmond
“We are thankful to have an opportunity to buy quality, stylish clothing from customers and then sell them at affordable prices.” – Jennifer Small, Clothes Mentor Portage
“They make the hard stuff easy!” – Scott Stansbury, Device Pitstop Anchorage
“I’m thankful that our franchise is here in our community for all women and all sizes. Our Clothes Mentor has helped women create new styles and a new sense of confidence when it comes to their fashion needs. We are thankful to be a part of that new confidence.” – Michael and Wyndy Reese, Clothes Mentor Jonesboro
“I am thankful that our Black Friday Sale is completed, on the Saturday before official Black Friday. It was very successful thanks to creative thinking of our corporate staff. “ – Don Leventhal, Clothes Mentor Bloomington
“We operate in a crowded market and I am not sure how I would break through if I didn’t have marketing support from the franchise. I wouldn’t be able to rise above the noise. From professionally designed materials to creative sales strategies, I am thankful that I have the franchise marketing support and I am not spending hours—no, days—trying to do it all myself.” – Chris Barnett, Clothes Mentor West Chester and Springfield
Hear answers to this frequently asked question from several Clothes Mentor franchisees from across the country:
Women’s Clothing Resale = Big Opportunities
Do you love fashion? Have you ever dreamed of owning your own women’s resale fashion boutique but never knew where to start?
Maybe you’ve been told by friends and family that there is no money in owning a women’s fashion resale franchise or that inventory is too expensive.
We are here to tell you that this is not the case, in fact, the exact opposite is true: There is a lot of money to be made in the women’s clothing resale space!
We interviewed several current Clothes Mentor owners to find out exactly how much money can be made in this booming industry. Watch the short video above to find out more about following your dreams and owning your own women’s clothing resale franchise.
Check out this exciting article from Franchising USA about NTY Franchise Company’s 200th store opening this month!
National upscale resale franchise NTY (New to You) Franchise Company, headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, will open their 200th store on Thursday, November 10. Device Pitstop, NTY Franchise Company’s mobile and electronic device resale franchise, will have the honor of achieving the company milestone when they open the doors of their new franchise unit in Newport News, Virginia.
“We’re very excited to open our 200th store in Newport News, Virginia this November,” NTY Franchise Company COO Chad Olson (pictured above) said. “The opening signifies our continued growth and commitment to meeting the modern consumer’s need for high-quality clothing, devices and other items at an affordable price.”
Founded in 2006 by Ron Olson, NTY Franchise Company features five resale brands, all with a different focus: Clothes Mentor, Children’s Orchard, Device Pitstop, New Uses, and NTY Clothing Exchange. Their brands cover everything from women’s designer fashions, children’s apparel and accessories, furniture and household goods, electronic sales and repair, and clothing for teens and young adults. All brands feature cutting-edge technology, support, and lucrative franchising opportunities to help candidates establish resale stores throughout the United States.
Check out this blog post excerpt from Shades of Sarah to see the perfect leather jacket that she found at Clothes Mentor Springfield:
Photo from Shades of Sarah.
True story: I’ve wanted a leather jacket for years. Leather jackets were made for fall, but so many of the leather jackets out there were too “moto” for my style. Who knew that I would find “the one” at Clothes Mentor? And let me tell you, leather jackets are worth the hype. Dresses, jeans and a tee — this jacket adds a cool vibe to everything.
One of my favorite ways to wear it? This LOFT tank works great with patterned dress pants, but it’s way more fun with jeans, a leather jacket and tough ankle boots. A cool boho pendant necklace and wine-colored lipstick, and this outfit totally feels like a cooler version of me. (Those buckled boots by the way? Yet another awesome Clothes Mentor find.)
As a kid, Halloween was often a compromise. Every once in a while we would get a store-bought costume, but more often, we got creative and assembled our own looks. Additionally, living in Kansas, it was usually pretty cold by October 31, so even if we had a great costume planned out, sometimes we had to make last-minute changes based on the weather. I remember one particularly cold year where our we had to discard our best-laid plans and go as Eskimos instead so we could layer up.
Grown-ups have to compromise on Halloween, too. Sure, you might have fun party plans with your friends for Halloween, and you can obviously wear whatever you want to that! But if your office lets you dress up for Halloween, there are usually some unsaid restrictions on what is or is not appropriate. Let’s just say my Lego costume from freshman year (where I literally wore a cardboard box that I painted to look like a Lego) would probably not fly in a professional setting.
Fortunately, there are lots of ways that you can spin some classic Halloween looks to be office-ready! In this post, you’ll see how I styled four fun costumes using professional pieces from Clothes Mentor. They consist of regular office looks with simple props available at any Halloween/party store (I got mine from Savers!)
What makes NTY one of the 50 fastest-growing private companies in the Twin Cities area? Find out in this excerpt from an article by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal:
We Asked Chief Operating Officer Chad Olson:
What’s one business decision you made in the past three years that’s been critical to your firm’s growth?
Putting as much information onto our franchise development website as possible. In the past this was taboo, it was normal to hold your cards close. In today’s world information is king. If you want to sell franchises you need to have your information front and center.
Photo by Nancy Kuehn and courtesy MSPBJ; Chad Olson (left) and Ron Olson (right).
Learn more about the Fast 50 list in this excerpt from a note about the project by editor Kim Johnson:
Fast 50 2016 Editor’s Note
It isn’t the easiest task to get revenue figures from private companies. Our reporters are frequently told, “We’re a private company. We do not share revenue information.”
It’s even more of a stretch to ask them for actual financial statements.
However, each summer the Business Journal doggedly searches the Twin Cities 24-county metro area to find the region’s fastest-growing private companies. We look for independently owned, privately held, for-profit businesses that are headquartered here. We look for year-over-year revenue growth from the three most recent fiscal years. We look for companies with at least $1 million in revenue from the first of those three years.
And then we require them to send in three years of financial statements that have been audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
And those documents go to our own accounting partner for further verification and number crunching.
It’s a lot to ask of private companies used to keeping their revenue numbers close to the vest. But it’s imperative we ask this of each company submitting a nomination for our annual Fast 50 awards. Everyone is held to the same standards to ensure the integrity of this list, which showcases some of the state’s best-in-class enterprises.
These companies aren’t just growing their bottom lines. They are creating jobs at extraordinary rates. They are providing growth opportunities for the businesses that serve them. They are boosting Minnesota’s economy.
So thank you to all the companies that submit nominations for this project — not just for the above, but for being willing to jump through the hoops we ask you to in order to produce this awards publication.
When it came to update my fall wardrobe this year, I tried something different: shopping at Clothes Mentor. My closet has its fair share thrifted pieces, but I hadn’t found a thrift or consignment store in the Philly area that I truly liked shopping at. Before I get into why Clothes Mentor is awesome, let me breakdown what I picked up courtesy of Clothes Mentor Springfield:
Dana Buchman faux leather jacket, $16 (not pictured)
LOFT lace dress, $14
Crew pants, $20
Kohl’s chunky cardigan, $10
LOFT sleeveless tank, $8
Macy’s Style & Co. dress (with tags), $14
Black top, $14
Chico’s bolero (with tags), $18
Nine West heeled boots, $24
Delia’s ankle boots, $18
Not bad right? That’s 10 quality pieces for less than $160. My mom and I were honestly carried away — I used every penny of the gift card they generously provided (and more out of pocket!), and my mom picked up a bunch of stuff too. If you haven’t visited your local Clothes Mentor (there’s three in the Philly area!), here’s why it’s worth the trip:
♥ Quality pieces at discounted prices. I love bargain hunting, but sometimes you get what you pay for. At Clothes Mentor, it just happens that what I’m paying for is a new-with-tags Macy’s dress well over 50% off.
♥ Everything is vetted and on-trend. Clothes Mentor is a consignment store, not an average thrift store. Instead of being donations-based, the team at CM inspects items and only accepts clothing and accessories they know will sell. You can learn more about consignment stores here, but basically CM does the hard work for you. Speaking of consignment stores…
♥ You can make some shopping money. Cleaning out your closet? If you’re more the instant gratification type, you can try your hand at selling at CM. I haven’t tried this yet, but they do give you cash on the spot for what they’re happy to buy from you.
♥ It’s eco-friendly. Admittedly, I don’t have the most planet-friendly shopping habits but buying secondhand and saving gently-worn items from landfills is a good start.
As for the Springfield, PA location in particular, I cannot say enough good things about the staff. They are so happy to assist you in any way, and they keep the store in tiptop shape. It’s bright, organized and they have something for everyone. The shop girls had no problem finding items in my sizes and to suit my tastes.
Need more convincing? Just wait until you see the outfits I’ve come up with.
~ Sarah
P.S. Thanks again to CM Springfield for the invite!
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.
