CLOTHES MENTOR: Statement Coats

It goes without saying that coats are always on-trend in colder weather, but this season it’s all about statement coats. It’s important the coat keeps you cozy, of course, but why not do it in style? There are some great statement coats that will keep you warm and chic at the same time.

Keeping in mind that you wear a coat every day as we get into colder weather, your coats can be key pieces in your fall and winter wardrobes. You want them to be modern and on-trend – while also fitting your lifestyle and your look.

Stop in to your local Clothes Mentor today and see what we have for some stylish, like-new coats. You will most likely find a very chic, designer coat in either a newer trend or a classic look that will keep you warm and in style – at a price you will love!

Clothes Mentor woman wearing neutral trench coat and shopping for new red coat, text that says statement coats

CLOTHES MENTOR: $$$ Money! Money! Money!….And Clothes, Shoes, and Purses! $$$

Here’s a great blog post on Clothes Mentor from fan Melissa Auvil about the West Chester and Springfield, Pennsylvania stores. In her interview with owner Chris Barnett, some top tips are shared on the process – and the great deals you can get on high quality, gently-used designer apparel and accessories that are like new. As Auvil says, “I also love the fact that I can clean out my closet to ‘trade in’ what I don’t wear any longer. Clothes Mentor is a resale store so they are always searching for fresh merchandise to buy from customers—including me!” Source: chestercountymoms.com

Let me just Clothes Mentor model wearing long coat and leggings and tan boots, text that says cash on-the-spot and 10 most wanted itemssay, I’m a huge fan of Clothes Mentor (located in West Chester &Springfield). There’s been a lot of chatter surrounding the name ever since the stores opened 3+ years ago. And, I’ve done my research to offer you an insider look at the brand… Here are the three reasons why you’ll see me shopping at CM: 1. I can shop for looks I love at unbelievable prices. 2. Because I can get paid when I clean out my closet and sell to them (am I dreaming?). 3. And, because resale shopping/selling means I am taking care of our Mother Earth. Yes, I admit that I love the fact that I can find stylish clothing for an affordable price. Like the great, early-fall, NEW-WITH-TAGS sweater from White House Black Market. The Clothes Mentor Springfield location just had a pair on Facebook with original tags–priced at $84 and a Clothes Mentor price of $18! Back to school shopping put a huge dent in my budget so Clothes Mentor has been my saving grace. And, I also love the fact that I can clean out my closet to “trade in” what I don’t wear any longer. Clothes Mentor is a resale store so they are always searching for fresh merchandise to buy from customers—including me! I interviewed Chris Barnett, the owner of the West Chester and Springfield, PA locations, to find out how we, as busy moms, can maximize our payout when it comes to resale, while staying stylish at the same time. Chris, who has owned and operated these franchise locations since 2012, exclaims “everyone has something in their closet that they no longer use but we would love to buy!” She continues, “whether it is jewelry or a pair of shoes that just doesn’t fit right. Whether it is a winter coat you no longer wear or a designer bag that just isn’t your style. Everyone has something in their closet they could bring to the store to sell. The beauty of the model is that there is something for every customer and something we would love to buy from every woman.” Sounds good to me! So let’s have Chris walk us through some of her top tips to successfully selling at her stores:graphic of Clothes Mentor now buying list with checkmarks and text that says clothing, shoes, hand bags and accessories Me: Okay, I hear you –every woman has something to sell to Clothes Mentor. But what do we need to do to get the best offer possible? Chris: Great question because we do want to maintain the very best inventory and we do want to make an offer to every customer that sells to us! Here are my top 3 tips to prep your items for selling to us— 1. Make sure the clothes are in current style. We focus on current fashions and the latest fashion trends—what’s in the malls right now. Often, customers bring in items that are many years old and, while they may be in great shape or a classic look, we are able to make offers only on fashions less than 2 years old. 2. Make sure the clothes are in very good to excellent condition. Think about if you were shopping in the store and whether you would buy the item right now, in its present condition. Often, customers will understand the phrase “too well loved” when we have to pass on an item because it may be super stylish but the pilling on the sweater or the pulls in the lace or the slight staining around the collar are reasons we wouldn’t be able to make a cash offer. 3. Make sure the clothes are freshly laundered. Items we buy go straight to the sales floor so we work hard to make sure that we only buy clothes that customers want to try on and want to take home. Cigarette smoke smells, musty smells and pet hair on items are all reasons we cannot make an offer. Two frequent things we find are that a person puts items in a car with a smoker—just know that clothes and handbags grab that smell–or a person leaves their items at home and a pet thinks it looks like a comfy bed. We worry about our customer so we pass on items that could trigger allergies. Me: Now, once I have my items ready, what happens next? What’s the best time of year for people to trade-in their clothes? Chris: Hooray! So you just need to bring in your items to Clothes Mentor in a box, bag or basket—not on clothing hangers, please. In Springfield and West Chester, we buy 7 days a week. We buy all day, every day and don’t forget that we buy all seasons, too. Me: Any good stories of customers selling to you recently? Chris: Of course! We always have great buying days and we post our most favorite new items on our Facebook pages. We buy around 300 new items each day. We’ve recently purchased a large number of designer shoes in West Chester—many pairs of Christian Louboutins that sell for more than $400 but we are selling them for under $100. We also just bought several Michael Kors bags in Springfield from a “collector”. She had a cross-body bag, several totes and a metallic satchel. She put nearly $300 in her pocket since we pay the customer 50% of the floor price on designer bags! Me: 50% for designer bags? Chris: That’s right. The payout is generally 30-40% of the sales floor price for clothing and accessories. All pricing is computer generated—no haggling or negotiating, which is something I never enjoy. For designer bags, my stores offer customers a payout of 50% of the sales floor price: premium pricing for premium bags. Me: Sounds like I need to get shopping—and selling to you! It also strikes me that we’ve mainly been talking about selling clothes but you buy much more. Can you elaborate?Clothes Mentor pregnant woman wearing maternity tank top and necklace with text that says we pay cash for maternity Chris: Absolutely. We want to be a one-stop shop for the fashionable women in town! We buy shoes, jewelry, designer bags and wallets. We buy coats, jackets, scarves and belts. Oh, and don’t forget specialty lines like athletic wear and maternity. They can be so expensive in the retail stores so we love to buy current styles in excellent condition for moms-to-be and our workout warriors! We buy all women’s sizes, including petites, talls and, unlike most typical consignment stores, we love plus size items and are always requesting larger sizes from our customers. Me: Sounds great! So why do you love what you do? Chris: Aside from the fact that the customers have become my friends and my family, I believe in what we do at Clothes Mentor. I have a beautiful daughter that learns everyday about women taking care of women at our store. What a beautiful message. We cheer each other on when we get a great deal. We help everyone leave the store feeling beautiful and strong. By reselling your items, we make them more affordable for the next person and we are doing one more thing to help Mother Earth through the eco-friendliness of recycling. What’s not to love about all of that goodness? And there you have it, Philly Burb Mom readers, the truth behind the successful Clothes Mentor stores in our area. Maybe yoClothes Mentor young woman holding two shirts on hangers with text that says is there cash in your closetu sold to them or tried to sell to Clothes Mentor in the past and they couldn’t make an offer. My advice? Try again! Use these tips to put some extra cash in your pocket this fall—the stores are super popular and they are always looking to buy, so why not clean out those closets? Disclaimer: I’m so pleased to be a sponsored business partner with Clothes Mentor. All opinions are my own!

DEVICE PITSTOP: Repairs That Can Make Your Device Seem New Again!

At Device Pitstop we offer great deals on gently-used, refurbished desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones…but we also offer repairs that are guaranteed on the devices you already own. It’s an awful feeling when your tablet gets dropped or your smartphone’s screen cracks. No matter what damage has happened to your device, at Device Pitstop we can probably fix it! Device Pitstop shattering smartphone screen with Device Pitstop logo and text that says we can manage the damage Bring your damaged device in to Device Pitstop and we can take a look at it and do our best to fix it for you…and we’ll back up that repair with a solid guarantee! Because just because something looks like it has been shattered, doesn’t mean it can’t still be put back together and be good as new again!  

CHILDREN’S ORCHARD: Readers’ Choice 2015: Retail & Services

Take a look at the results for the Readers’ Choice 2015: Retail & Services awards. The second store on the list is Children’s Orchard as a 2 year winner for the Best Children’s Clothing Store! Remember, at Children’s Orchard you get great deals on gently-used clothing, shoes, toys, and equipment for kids. Go to our Store Locator page to find a Children’s Orchard close to you and find some like-new pieces for your kids – while at the same time bringing in their outgrown, gently-used pieces for cash-on-the-spot – or use it towards some like-new pieces that will fit your kids now!  Source: parenting.com Children's Orchard store front

Best Children’s Clothing Store

Children’s Orchard — 2 Year Winner Neat and tidy, this kid’s resale retail option keeps the budget in check while keeping kids in style. Let the kids play as you shop, win-win. www.childrensorchard.com “Children’s Orchard has great deals on clothes that your kids will grow out of so quickly that you’ll be glad you didn’t spend more!” — Jennifer Pang  

CHILDREN’S ORCHARD: Coats for Kids

As September takes us into fall, your kids are going to need some jackets and coats…and last year’s coats are probably not going to fit them. Why not bring your kid’s outgrown, gently-used coats to Children’s Orchard? You can use the cash you get for them – on-the-spot – toward a like-new coat from Children’s Orchard.

Your kids want to be stylish too – and you want them to be warm!

As the winds pick up and the temperatures drop, stop in to your local Children’s Orchard and find some great buys on gently-used, like-new coats that will take your kids through the fall season.

Children's Orchard two kid models wearing a leather jacket and a winter vest with Children's Orchard logo

CLOTHES MENTOR: Sometimes It’s All About the Boots…

Sometimes it really is all about the shoes…or boots. The right pair can really make an outfit. And booties are really on-trend this season.

The great thing about a stylish pair of booties is they can be worn with just about anything. They look great with a short dress or a maxi dress, as well as with any length of skirt. A higher heel can elongate your legs and make your look more hip, a lower heel can add a casual vibe to your outfit.

No matter what trends you like this fall, add in a great pair of one of the biggest trends – a great short bootie – and you’re set to go! Stop in to your local Clothes Mentor and see the great selection they have of gently-used, like-new booties to update your look this fall.

Clothes Mentor model wearing booties with black leggings with text that says booties for fall

Love you style, and love what you pull out of your closet in the morning…but don’t forget to add a great pair of booties to make your look that much more modern and on-trend.

NEW USES: Fall Cooking

Many people do a great deal of cooking and canning in the fall. Maybe it’s that secret family recipe of bread and butter pickles or a hot salsa – or maybe you’re more into baking. Either way, it’s time to grab those fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs from the garden, cook them up, can them, or store them in the freezer. That way, those of us in the colder climates can pull them out in the middle of winter and have some crisp, fresh fruits and vegetables that are brighter and more flavorful than what you find in the grocery store in January.

Perhaps you need some new kitchen equipment this year? The list of items we sell at New Uses is pretty long, and you might just find the best like-new, gently-used kitchen tools, accessories, and small appliances you’ve been looking for. Although each store carries a unique inventory,  some examples of what New Uses might have in stock for tools and small appliances are:

New Uses graphic of scroll with text that says bakeware, blenders, cooking utensils, crockpots, food processors, juicers, microwaves, mixers, pepper grinders, pots and pans

Stop in to your local New Uses today and see what they have for your kitchen – at prices up to 70% off of retail, it just might make the fall cooking that much easier and more affordable.

CHILDREN’S ORCHARD: Many Parents Now Including Resale Shops as Part of Back-to-School Shopping Hot Spots

Many parents know that their kids outgrow clothing and equipment so fast, it just makes sense to go to Children’s Orchard and purchase apparel, shoes, and equipment that are gently-used and like-new. The truth is, the store is full of pieces in great shape that have hardly been worn. Just like with your kids, the inventory comes from parents with kids that have outgrown their clothes before they even come close to wearing them out! Source: wxyz.com Children's Orchard screenshot from tv spot about back-to-school savings at Children's Orchard Getting your kids ready for school can cost you hundreds and in many cases, thousands. The reality is that saving money is the goal. We recently found thousands of families that are apart of a resale revolution and it’s growing in popularity. Families we found are saving on everything–from sports equipment for their kids, to shoes and gently used clothing. The National Retail Federation estimates that families will spend more than $24 billion dollars on back to school shopping this year. And while that number seems exorbitant, research tells an interesting story. Jennifer Pater is a mother of two and a teacher. Her kids, Avery and Aiden, are growing. Being under 10 years old, they grow more every day than most kids and that often calls for complete wardrobe changes and from season to season, changes to their sports equipment and gear. “We definitely have a budget so we try to stick within that budget,” Jennifer Pater said. On the day we caught up with her, she was busy reselling clothes her kids had already grown out of, clothes she says she bought from the resale store Children’s Orchard in Sterling Heights. Leslie DeArmant has worked at Children’s Orchard, a resale boutique store, for more than 16 years. “Everyone wants to save a buck and you can definitely do that here,” she said In fact Pater tells me she can walk out with a bag full of gently used name brand clothes for either one of her kids for about $30. She tells me to keep in mind that often that same $30 will only get you a nicely printed new t-shirt elsewhere. “We’ve been coming here for about 4 to 5 years. We come a couple of times a month to grab things that look great and are very inexpensive,” Pater tells Action News. Her son Aiden is 7 years old and with all the sports and extra-curricular activities he’s involved in  she finds herself at the store often buying sports gear because he grows out of it so quick. She sells back what he can’t wear anymore. Inside the Children’s Orchard store you could say the old adage fits in well, that saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” That’s true especially in their eyes. “We have a lot of people that sell to us to make money to buy the next year’s school wardrobe,” DeArmant said. DeArmant has seen the resale revolution grow. She’s seen the influx in parents wanting to stretch that dollar increase. She’s seen the growth in the number of parents focused on reducing waste by way of recycling and making money. According to America’s Research Firm, a consumer research group, 15% of Americans will save money by shopping in a resale store this year. That percentage is only expected to get bigger as more and more of you learn about the savings. The day our crews were in the store we found more than a dozen families coming and going. Some just stopping in to sell, others looking to buy, some believe it or not were doing both. In our findings, we learned many resale stores offer savings for those who choose to buy and sell right there on the spot. “Most of our customers do shop in here and they can earn 25% more if they take store credit,” DeArmant said. And what’s not to love about saving even more money doing business in the same place, right? “They’re amazing that they can come out of here with a bag full of clothing for $25, $30. The savings are amazing,” DeArmant tells Action News. First Research found that resale stores across the country will boast an estimated annual revenue of upwards of $12 billion this year. Their report also found that with more and more families aiming to stretch their dollar, especially with those who have kids growing, the number is expected to grow. They say it’s not surprising. Pater who is a teacher agrees and says she believes if more parents knew of what you could find at various resale stores, the resale revolution and back to school shopping would be redefined. “I’m a teacher nearby,” Pater says. “So I know a lot of the other teachers that I work with and Moms definitely come and sell a lot of their items and shop here a few times a month. We’ve always had a great experience with it.”

CHILDREN’S ORCHARD: Children’s Orchard Offers Gently-Used Kid’s Clothes, Items in Manhattan Beach

She went to a “hidden gem” called Children’s Orchard in Manhattan Beach. Cindy Kehagiaras is the co-owner of the shop, and she’s more than happy to buy clothes that are still in great condition. “Our sellers love coming right before school because they go through all of their kids’ drawers before school starts. They get the things that aren’t going to fit anymore. They bring them to us and then they get new things,” she said. Children’s Orchard is a national franchise with eight resale stores in Southern California. It specializes in buying and selling gently used children’s apparel, books, toys and equipment. In the last 15 years, Girard-Cobb has made more than $10,000 selling her children’s gently used clothing, but she is just as pleased to trade her items or receive store credit. “That’s what I really like because I really think you get a lot more for your money coming to a resale store like Children’s Orchard. You really get a lot more getting that additional credit in the store,” she said. Anyone wishing to turn their children’s clothes into cash should be aware that all apparel must be free of wear, tear and stains. The clothes must be washed before selling them and the items should be part of the current fashion trends. Children’s Orchard is located at 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd. and stores hours are available on the website at www.childrensorchard.com.

CLOTHES MENTOR: A Personal Shopper Just For You!

We all like to keep up with trends and be fashion-forward, but it’s hard in our busy lives. Too many mornings you probably just throw on whatever is fast and convenient. Why not have a personal shopper help you out?

At Clothes Mentor, we understand how crazy busy life can be – between work and your family and friends, there is often little time to do anything for yourself. That is too often the case with a lot of women…we do everything for everybody else and very little for ourselves. So why not let Clothes Mentor’s Personal Shopper Program make shopping fun again?

Clothes Mentor model wearing scarf and outside shopping center holding up several shopping bags with Clothes Mentor Personal Shopper logo

Just think of the idea of someone else shopping for you, giving you honest feedback as you try things on – and helping you to see your true style while being on-trend and modern. It’s something you can do just for you…and did we mention it’s FREE?

Check out your local Clothes Mentor and ask them about the Personal Shopper Program – or click on the link or photo to go to the Personal Shopper page and fill out the form to schedule a free style consult. It just might be one of the best things you have done for yourself in a long time!