We have a large variety of lamps at New Uses for many unique ways to bring light into your home!
Perhaps some table lamps are in order to update a corner of your living room, or some nice bedside lamps for your bedroom, or that lamp that is just right for reading – or even larger, tall light fixtures that will make the room even brighter!
As winter starts to approach, it’s a good time to bring more light into your home. The days are getting shorter, and it gets darker much sooner. At New Uses, we have the perfect lamps for you for the perfect spot in your home – and they are high quality, like-new, and gently-used…at a great price!
Make a trip to your local New Uses and find a great source for a lot of light!
Scarves are one of those things that never go out of style. They bring a certain sense of chic femininity to your look and can add color and brightness to a neutral look. They are nice to wear for warmth, of course, too since it’s now fall. They’re a staple accessory that always works.
This season scarves are being shown on the runways as much slimmer with silky fabrics. The skinny scarf is a chic way to pull your look together and wrap – or double wrap – your neck in soft silk.
Add a bright color or pattern to pull your look together. It’s a fun way to keep yourself warm – and it’s modern and fashion-forward at the same time!
Our days and nights are getting cooler, the leaves are starting to change to vibrant fall colors, and it’s time for your kids to start wearing sweaters and warmer clothes. It’s most definitely sweater season!
At Children’s Orchard we have a large variety of sweaters, as well as jackets and coats, to help keep your little ones warm this season.
Stop by your local Children’s Orchard today and see all the great gently-used, like-new sweaters and other apparel, shoes, boots, and accessories we have for your kids for fall – at up to 70% off of retail prices!
Congratulations to the Lee’s Summit Clothes Mentor store for reopening today after going through a tornado in July. We’re so glad you’re all okay and that things are getting back to normal. Stop by the Lee’s Summit Clothes Mentor and support them in the community as they make a new start! Source: kshb.com
LEE’S SUMMIT, MO – Clothes Mentor is reopening its doors for the first time since an EF-1 tornado tore holes in the roof and forced the store to throw away its entire inventory of clothes.
“This entire store would have had to be replaced if it wasn’t metal. The counters were ruined. The walls had to be replaced, the fixtures,” said Clothes Mentor store owner Lee Gardner.
The road to recovery was a $100,000 one, covered by insurance. No one was hurt in the store during the tornado despite two employees being inside at the time.
They choose one of the two bathrooms inside the building to hide in. It turns out that was the only room not damaged.
Gardner says there have been blessings through the rebuilding process.
“The outreach from the community and the customers that we’ve had and how concerned they were about us and wanted us to re-open, well they wanted to help us clean,” said Gardner.
The store will open Thursday, October 1, 2015- three months to the day of the tornado.
Expecting a big turnout, the store won’t start buying clothes brought in until 1 p.m., choosing to focus solely on sales for the first few hours.
One of the many things we carry at New Uses is furniture – and we have a lot of great pieces! And when it comes to furniture, how about a newer couch this fall? As the nights get colder, just think how nice it would be to curl up on a new couch with a soft blanket and a favorite book or movie. Maybe a new color or pattern, or maybe a different design? It could refresh your living room or den with an updated, more modern look.
Stop in to your local New Uses and see what we have for both new and gently-used, like-new couches.* Perhaps you can find yourself a comfy new couch that is just the style and color your living room needs!
For a fun video – on an actually very serious matter – Robby from Device Pitstop shows you how NOT to destroy your data on an old laptop. It might look like it’s being demolished, but the hard drive could still be pulled and the data could still be recovered. Source: YouTube
Stop by your local Device Pitstop and let them help you make sure your device is completely wiped clean of your data before it’s recycled. You’ll be glad you did!
Being able to buy and sell gently-used, like-new clothing, shoes, toys, and accessories is great for shoppers. Children outgrow everything pretty fast. But, as a business, Children’s Orchard is a whole other matter. It is, in fact, a very smart business.
Maybe you’ve been thinking about how great it would be to own your own business? Or maybe you’ve been thinking about what a great opportunity it is to own one that has such a huge need in your community? Children’s clothing, shoes, equipment, and toys are always needed, and the fact that they’re at much lower prices and gently-used – or hardly used in most cases because they’re outgrown so quickly – makes it even better!
Look no further than Children’s Orchard. Take a look at our franchise information and see what you can do to move forward in owning your own highly-supported, successful business. You’ll be happy you did!
For a great franchise business, look no further than Device Pitstop. In a technology-based society, this franchise is a very important – and needed – business. Device Pitstop buys and sells high quality, gently-used smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops that are like new. In addition, the company does quality, guaranteed repairs. Device Pitstop also buys, sells, and repairs Apple products like iPhones, iPads, iMacs, and MacBooks.
Take a look at this article from BizBuySell – or our franchise information – about how to get started in this great business for yourself…and remember, you don’t have to be an expert in technology to own a Device Pitstop. We offer solid training and unmatched support to get you going in your own business and to help you be successful! Source: BizBuySell
The Need: a business that “cashes-in” on the huge and growing mobile computing sector. It is a business that actually benefits from rapidly changing technology and the constant need for service and repairs. Mobile devices, smart phones, laptops and tablets are expensive for consumers to purchase as well as inconvenient and expensive to repair. You likely know people who have a device fail – or cracked a screen.
DEVICE PITSTOP
Device Pitstop® franchise stores re-sell high quality, certified, brand name used electronic devices of all kinds. We also have experienced technicians and parts on-hand to make speedy repairs with quick turnaround times. The stores have been designed for High volume with 4 technician repair stations in our store layout. We are not a one-man operation.
We have a proven system that delivers a rush of customers to your front door with high gross margins. We provide the tools and support you need to execute your vision and successfully run your Device Pitstop. We are the only brand to combine computer retail and repair under one roof. We have 4 potential income sources for our franchisees.
BENEFITS OF RESALE
The Very BEST Value – in this “new economy,” people are looking for ways to make their dollars go further – by shopping at Device Pitstop, they can get high-quality, name-brand electronics in great used or refurbished condition for the lowest possible cost…even lower if they bring in items to sell to us…think of it as a “trade-in.”
BENEFITS FOR OUR FRANCHISEES
Superior Gross Profit Margins (GPM) – traditional retailers are lucky to get a 25% GPM – Device Pitstop is currently running at about 60% GPM – so for every $1 in sales, traditional retailers have 25 cents left over to pay bills with, whereas Device Pitstop stores have about 60 cents…that’s a huge advantage.
BENEFITS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS
Get paid now for your unused or broken Mobil devices – receive CASH-ON-THE SPOT
NO appointments needed – we buy all day, every day, right over-the-counter, up to 1 hour before closing.
NO consignment hassles
NO eBay hassles – NO giving away great items for free
Superior shopping experience
Superior quality of merchandise
Superior customer service
WOW!! Value pricing
WHY CHOOSE DEVICE PITSTOP
Proven Business Operating System-avoid years of trial & error -reduce costly mistakes -maximize the potential of this business much sooner -shorten your learning curve -stack the odds in your favor -How successful do you want to be?
Proprietary Point of Sale System-specifically designed for the RESALE of electronics-automated touch screen BUY Matrix with categories & brands built in -bar coded price tags & integrated high speed credit card processing for faster customer service and far less human errors -this is an inventory management/cash flow tool that really helps you to measure and manage your business to its fullest potential -truly one of our most potent “secret” recipes.
Full Comprehensive Training-we teach you the operating system so you can teach your managers and staff. Store Opening Assistance -we have proven vendors in place to get you the best pricing and great service on everything you need for store design & build-out…including furniture, fixtures, equipment, interior/exterior signage, credit card processing, and proprietary Point-Of-Sale system.
Professional Advertising/Marketing Support-put your business on the map in a big way… even before your Grand Opening -professionally designed templates, materials and programs that can be customized to your business location, and promote your store on going -PRINT, TV, RADIO, WEB -present a professional face for your locally owned & operated business.
Ongoing Support-because our royalty is a % of your sales, our success is directly tied to your success. So we are very motivated to assist you in on-going support throughout the life of your business. We assign you a field-support person to be your “small business consultant” -they see what you see in the POS system reports and can be very helpful to you in spotting opportunities to make corrections or maximize results -they are in regular communication with you throughout the life of your business.
Financing & Business Planning-You will receive assistance in your preparation of a comprehensive business plan tailored specifically to the RESALE business model… and coaching on how to approach and speak with leaders. Most banks will want to see you put cash down equal to 25% to 35% of the total investment, and provide collateral assets of at least 50% of the amount you borrow. If needed, you can achieve financial qualification with the assistance of a financial partner or family member.
SERVICES WE OFFER!
In addition to providing ultra high-value products at affordable prices, Device Pitstop stores offer a full menu of repair options for its customers. Our Device Pitstop certified technicians completes all repairs in-house. We service laptops, desktops, smartphones, and tablets.
Repair options:
Laptop & Desktop Services
General Diagnostics
System Optimization
DC jack repair
Operating system re-installs
Password removal
Data transfer and recovery
Hard drive upgrade/replacement
Memory upgrades
Key replacement
LCD/Screen replacement
Virus/spyware removal
Overheating/fan issues
Hinge repair
Smartphone & Tablet Services
Screen replacement
LCD replacement
Battery replacement
Charging port repair
Headphone jack repair
Data transfer and recovery
OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE
Someone who likes technology
Possesses strong business acumen
Possesses management experience
Strongly values customer service and customer relationships
Is looking for a proven system and willing to follow it
Take a look at this fun interview with Christine Ilvedson, owner of the Clothes Mentor in Fargo, North Dakota. Source: business-opportunities.biz
Christine Ilvedson
Clothes Mentor, the nation’s top women’s clothing franchise, buys and sells high quality, gently-used designer clothing, shoes, jewelry and other accessories that are like new — but for a lot less.
We recently spoke with Christine Ilvedson, owner of Clothes Mentor in Fargo, N.D., to find out more about her experiences in opening up a franchise. We learned what challenges she faced, how much she spent before opening the doors and what she would do differently if she had the chance.
How long have you owned a franchise?
Five and a half years.
What were you doing before becoming a franchise owner?
I was in retail management.
Why did you choose your franchise?
I chose Clothes Mentor because I saw a need for an upscale women’s resale store in our community. There were places in Fargo that paid cash on the spot for children’s’ clothing, another that paid cash for teen clothing but none that paid cash for women’s fashions.
What were some of the challenges you faced when starting your franchise?
Finding a great bank to work with who shared our vision was probably our biggest challenge. For a lot of franchises finding the ideal retail space to lease is challenging, but luckily we had no problem with that.
Where did you research or get advice about starting a franchise?
I spoke with other Clothes Mentor franchisees and with other entrepreneurs that had a lot of experience with franchising.
How much did you spend before your doors were officially opened?
About $120k, including $45k we paid to locals selling us their gently used clothing and apparel for inventory before we opened to sell.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Most days I’m on the sales floor greeting customers and sorting through clothing items they are looking to sell. Some days I work from home answering emails, working on marketing or doing payroll/bookkeeping, and some days I’m running errands or at meetings.
What is your secret to success?
Treat your customers really well, treat your employees even better and lead by example.
What would you do differently if you had to do it all over?
Looking back now there are a few things with our grand opening I would have done differently (time of year we opened and some advertising ideas). I also would have trusted my instincts a little more!
Where do you see your business in five years?
Hopefully growing and changing! We have expanded once but would love to expand again if the opportunity presented itself. Now that we are well established in the community we are looking to do more charity work and partnerships.
What is one trend that really excites you?
Clothes Mentor has a new loyalty rewards program that is so awesome! It is a great program that has a wealth of information for us as owners and our customers are loving it!
What are your three favorite online tools or resources and what do you love about them?
I love our online banking and online payroll resources.
We LOVE social media… especially Instagram and Facebook.
We have a great website for our franchise owners… all the resources and networking at our fingertips!
Do you (or did you ever) have a mentor?
I did not have an official mentor but sought advice from as many business owners as I could.
What advice do you have for others looking to own a franchise?
Go for it! Do your research and make sure there is a need in your community. Talk to as many other franchise owners as you can. Be positive and realistic.
Would you recommend others be franchisees? Why?
Absolutely! Clothes Mentor Corporate helped me SO much in our opening processes. I honestly would have been lost trying to do all that on my own. Everything from writing our business plan to ordering hangers was laid out for me in a step-by-step process. They are full of great resources and guidance.
Where can people get more information on Clothes Mentor franchise opportunities?
It isn’t quite time for all the holiday parties, but it is time for some fun fall entertaining. It’s the time of year when people come indoors from the barbecues and entertain friends with good food, wine, and conversation.
At New Uses you can find some great pieces for your fall entertaining. We have everything from dinnerware to beautiful decorations for the table to make it festive and full of fall colors.
Stop by your local New Uses today and see what you can find to spice up your fall gatherings. With prices up to 70% off on like-new, gently-used pieces, you can make your dinner table and home look elegant without spending a fortune. It will make your parties that much more of a celebration!
Linda Berg is the Franchise Business Consultant for Clothes Mentor’s Southeast region and the Franchise Operations Manager for Clothes Mentor, Children’s Orchard, and NTY Clothing Exchange. Linda joined the company in 2016 as the Store Manager and the Area Manager of the three corporate stores. Linda worked for Gap Inc. for 12 years at both Old Navy and Gap in various management roles. Her retail experience also includes 12 years at Mervyn’s in several management and training roles.
Amy Donnelly
Director of Inventory Management | Franchise Business Consultant
Amy Donnelly is the Director of Inventory Management for Clothes Mentor. In addition, Amy holds the position as Franchise Business Consultant for Clothes Mentor’s Southeast Region. Prior to joining Clothes Mentor in 2013, she spent 8 years in retail management with Limited Brands. Amy holds a BA degree.
Ashley Huebner
Director of Marketing
Ashley Huebner oversees Clothes Mentor’s marketing and advertising efforts to drive sales and build brand awareness. She also leads creative initiatives, driving the brand’s vision in aesthetics, tone, and trends to elevate our position as a leader in the resale category.
Ashley joined the Clothes Mentor team in March 2015. She has 10+ years of Graphic Design experience, a strong background in design and user experience, and a passion for creativity. She holds a BA degree in Advertising and Art.
Michelle Vaudrin
Senior Director of Operations
Michelle Vaudrin is the Senior Director of Operations for Clothes Mentor and Children’s Orchard. Prior to joining NTY Franchise Company in March 2016, she worked in leadership roles for Burlington, American Eagle, and Macy’s. Michelle attended the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a degree in Retail Merchandising and Business Administration. She brings extensive background in training of 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.
Jarvis Herndon
Franchise Business Consultant
Jarvis Herndon is a Franchise Business Consultant for both Clothes Mentor and Device Pitstop. Jarvis has a strong background in retail management, leadership, and a history of operational success within a franchising system. He is passionate about assisting small business owners in developing their path to success while maximizing their businesses’ potential. Jarvis brings a great mix of skills and experience to the NTY Franchise Company.
Sarah Primmer
VP of Finance & Human Resources
Sarah Primmer is the Vice President of Finance and Human Resources for NTY Franchise Company. She joined the company in January 2014. Prior to joining NTY, Sarah spent over 25 years as the controller and business manager of a local sales and marketing firm calling on Target stores.
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.
Dan Goetz
Franchise Business Consultant
Dan Goetz is the Franchise Business Consultant for Clothes Mentor in the West Region. Previous to joining the Clothes Mentor Corporate staff in February of 2014, he worked in leadership positions with Aèropostale, Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Target stores. He attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth and St. Cloud State University. He brings a strong background in Operations, Merchandising, and Human Resources to the Clothes Mentor team.
Sean Marrs
IT/Tech Administrator
IT/Tech Administrator
Ashlyn Aarness
Social Media Specialist
Social Media Specialist
Marissa Stacy
Jr. Graphic Designer
Jr. Graphic Designer
Gina Geary
Franchise Business Consultant
Franchise Business Consultant
Alice Heidenreich
Franchise Business Consultant
Franchise Business Consultant
Jessica Fix
Franchise Contract and Office Administrator
Jessica Fix is the Franchise Contracts and Office Administrator for NTY Franchise Company. She started with the company in January of 2018. Jessica works alongside the Franchise Development Team and provides office support to the headquarter office. She has 20 years in the franchise industry, previously working for Carlson Leisure Group/Travel Leaders Franchise Group in a variety of roles, such as Database Coordinator, Legal Contract Administrator, and Executive Assistant to the Franchise Sales Team.
Ronald G. Olson
President
Ron Olson has been President and a Director of NTY Franchise Company since October 2006. Ron’s background included starting his career at Dayton’s Department Store, where he held many management positions. In 1977 he opened his own furniture store in Minnesota, which was a Drexel Heritage prototype store. In 1988 he co-founded Grow Biz International, now called Winmark. The first franchise rights that Olson purchased and started marketing was Play It Again Sports. Olson continued buying the Franchise rights for Once Upon A Child, Plato’s Closet, and Music Go Round. Today there over 1,000 Franchise locations.
Under NTY Franchise Company, the franchise rights were bought for Clothes Mentor and New Uses. In 2013 Olson bought Laptop Exchange and changed the name to Device Pitstop. In 2014 the company opened NTY Clothing Exchange and NTY Kids, now Children’s Orchard. There are currently 204 stores sold and 133 stores opened under the NTY Franchise umbrella.
Michael D. Smith
Vice President of Strategic Planning
Michael D. Smith is the Vice President of Strategic Planning. From December 2000 to July 2010, Michael held the position of Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of the franchise company Laptop Xchange. From June 1994 to December 2000, Michael held numerous roles within the Grow Biz International brands of Play It Again Sports and Computer Renaissance. These roles included Corporate Store Management, Field Operation Specialist, and Franchisee.
