Children’s Orchard Franchise Wins Prestigious Environmental Award

Kid’s Clothing Franchise in Manhattan Beach Wins 2018 SEED Award for

Extraordinary Efforts in Pollution Prevention

(MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif) – Children’s Orchard of Manhattan Beach is celebrating their acceptance of the 2018 SoCal Environmental Excellence Development (SEED) Award for preventing pollution in their area. It is the first SEED Award for the local kids’ resale franchise that buys, sells and donates gently-used children’s clothing and other items.

“I’m thrilled that Children’s Orchard was recognized with such a prestigious local award,” store owner Cindy Kehagiaras said. “We are extremely committed to preserving the environment and honored to be leading the way by preventing pollution.”

Children’s Orchard, a national children’s resale clothing brand franchised by NTY Franchise Company, encourages locals to recycle their children’s clothing. They offer cash on the spot for gently-used clothing, toys and other children’s items, then sell those items at up to 70 percent less than the retail price. Items they are unable to sell are donated to the Exceptional Children’s Foundation to aid ECF’s mission serving children challenged with developmental, learning and emotional disabilities.

“In 2017, we sold an estimated 49,000 pounds of gently-used children’s clothing that would likely have otherwise ended up in the landfill,” Kehagiaras explained. “Add in the estimated 10,000 pounds of clothing we donated, and you see how committed Children’s Orchard is to preventing needless waste.”

Six SEED Awards are handed out each year by the South Bay Business Environmental Coalition, an all-volunteer member-driven organization focused on providing collaborative opportunities to all members of the South Bay community. Board Member Lisa Ryder-Moore said Children’s Orchard of Manhattan Beach was a terrific choice for the pollution prevention award because of the leadership role they play in keeping textiles out of the landfills and running a clean and green operation.

“Children’s Orchard’s resale business model is a wonderful example of how a business can thrive while protecting the environment. We’re very happy to recognize Cindy and her store for helping her community recycle and reuse children’s clothing,” she said.

Resale apparel is enjoying a $20 billion boom that began during the Great Recession and continues today, as consumers flock to stores like Children’s Orchard to buy and sell their gently-used children’s clothing and accessories. Now growing a whopping 24 times faster than retail, recent reports project that the resale apparel market will grow to more than $41 billion by 2022.

To learn more about Children’s Orchard, visit www.childrensorchard.com.

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About Children’s Orchard

Children’s Orchard was purchased by NTY Franchise Company in 2014. There are over 35 stores nationwide. As a children’s resale store, it addresses an important need as kids outgrow their clothes faster than they can make a dent in wearing them out. This makes this store a growing necessity that will draw customers in. Something kids loved a month ago might not fit them at all now — and this is true of toys and equipment as well. With gently-used, high-quality apparel, toys, and equipment, Children’s Orchard is a great concept, a great need, and is a great opportunity for business owners in their community.

About NTY Franchise Company

Founded in 2006 by Ron Olson, NTY Franchise Company is the gold standard in resale franchising companies. NTY franchises five brands, all with a different focus: Clothes Mentor, Children’s Orchard, Device Pitstop, New Uses, and NTY Clothing Exchange. The brands are all resale-based and cover 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 are great business opportunities with cutting-edge technology, unmatched support, and lucrative resale franchises. NTY Franchise Company has helped individuals to establish resale stores throughout the United States in many communities, and it has territories available to develop nationwide. Learn more at www.ntyfranchise.com.

SMART BUSINESS: Why Women and their Spouses Love NTY Franchise Company’s Business Model

More women than ever are taking their careers into their own hands, by owning and operating a franchise business. According to FranNet, a company that connects people with franchise opportunities, female franchise ownership jumped by 83 percent between 2011 and 2017. For married women, that can mean navigating a new relationship with a spouse who may or may not be active in the daily business operation. Fortunately for women who own an NTY Franchise Company brand, there is a solid business model to help them balance work, family and personal time.

ANGIE AND JEFF GELDERT WORK THE NUMBERS

Fifty-two-year-old Angie Geldert left her long-time teaching career to purchase a Children’s Orchard kids clothing franchise in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, two years ago. She knew she needed a change, and had the luxury of being married to an accountant who could help her keep track of the store’s finances. Angie says the business model of her NTY Franchise Company brand allows her to spend more time with her family, and work with them to grow her new business.

“My daughter is an accounting major and she is the store manager while she continues to study for her degree,” Angie explains. “She’s a great partner.”

Angie also enjoys her new business relationship with her husband, Jeff. “There are different stressors now,” she allows, “but it’s something we have done together.” Jeff does the books for the store, and Angie says he’s always willing to lend a hand whenever she needs it. “He helps with purchases, with storage… and it’s nice to have someone around who can lift more than I can,” she laughs. “We like bouncing ideas off each other.”

Jeff agrees, saying he appreciates how his wife took on the challenge of operating her upscale resale franchise. “It’s great — she’s put a lot of effort into it. At first we were nervous, but we’re much happier now that things are catching on. I’m proud of her; she’s worked very hard.”

And the numbers bear that out: Jeff says the sales growth is ahead of schedule. “We were expecting it to be slow to begin with, but in the middle of last year, sales started to show double-digit increases. We are seeing monthly growth in sales of 17 to 30 percent (over the same period last year).”

THE BARNETTS’ LEAP OF FAITH

When Chris Barnett purchased her Clothes Mentor women’s fashion franchise in Pennsylvania five years ago, she knew it was a leap of faith.  She and her husband Stephen jettisoned their corporate careers and plunged into operating their franchise.  They wanted to have more control over their lives, and teach their values to their 10-year-old daughter, Eliza. They still work long hours, but they’re in charge of their time.

“We are in the store most days, but we are working on the business every day,” Chris said. Still, they are able to spend quality time with their daughter while they work. “Eliza comes into the store every weekend, and two to four times during the week.”

The business model has proved to be a winner for the Barnetts. Just 18 months after opening their store, they bought a second Clothes Mentor franchise. “Having multiple locations allows us to have economy of scale,” Chris says. Even so, she says, they couldn’t have done it without the support they received from the NTY Franchise Company corporate team.

“They give us the tools and as much hand-holding as we need. They have great regional advisors who help us with marketing. What gets scary, though, is… it’s your business, your baby. They give you a strong foundation, but you have to take care of the rest of your house.” With a five-year track record, the Barnetts’ house appears to be in great shape.

THE CHERNEYS’ JOURNEY

Thirty-three-year-old Sadie Cherney earned her master’s degree, married her husband Bill three months later, and moved across the country to open a Clothes Mentor franchise in South Carolina soon afterward. This dynamic duo are also parents of two sons under the age of 3. They now own three Clothes Mentor women’s resale stores, and they credit the NTY Franchise Company business model with helping them achieve career success at a young age.

“The best part is the wealth of data from the point of sales system,” Sadie acknowledges. “They are always crunching numbers and that helps franchise owners. Back-of-the-house data is always available to franchisees. The company is wonderful, supportive and communicative.”

Bill was an English teacher when Sadie opened her first location. A year later, they were starting their family so Bill quit his job to make sure there wasn’t a loss in leadership during Sadie’s maternity leave. Sadie returned to work after the birth of their son, but shortly thereafter, their child suffered a health scare. The NTY Franchise business model made it possible for Sadie to be with their toddler when he needed her most.

“Our two-year-old son was hospitalized last year with a critical illness, and I basically lived at the hospital,” Sadie confides. “The flexibility we have with this company is incredible. It really makes such a difference when you have a crisis. We have built up a team that’s like a family. They’re there when we need them.”

With their son healthy again, Sadie and Bill are focused on raising their boys and growing their business. “To be successful, we have to work closely together. Sometimes it’s challenging, especially if we need our own space after work, but we go home together. What works best for us is that we don’t try to be in charge at the same time,” Sadie chuckles.

“MOORE” SUCCESS IN LITTLE ROCK

The Moore family owns two Clothes Mentor women’s resale clothing franchises and a Children’s Orchard kids clothing franchise in Little Rock, Arkansas. Twenty-nine-year-old Jade Moore runs the stores and feels supported by the NTY Franchise Company business model. It has allowed her 31-year-old husband Turner to pursue his calling as Junior High Pastor at their church.

“He is a humble man who is encouraging and motivating to me,” Jade beams. “He is the greatest at lifting my arms up when I am tired or calming me down when I make a rash decision. I’m blessed to have him as my support.”

Jade appreciates the NTY philosophy of offering high-quality clothing at affordable prices to families in her community. She’s also thrilled that unsold clothing is donated to needy families. “It’s part of a new way of living… allowing less-fortunate parents to say they can give to their children.”

FAMILY-FRIENDLY CONCEPT

The NTY Franchise Company business model works well for all of these female franchisees. The corporate support, with flexibility for local owners, is a winning combination. Franchise owners are able to build a business while staying connected to the people they love. It’s a family-friendly concept that helps working women achieve the balance they crave in their personal and professional lives.

How to Run a Successful Franchise While Working Just 20 Hours a Week

Claudia Zertuche is living her dream.

After emigrating from Mexico almost two decades ago, she and a friend decided to explore franchise ownership. In 2005, they decided to open a Children’s Orchard (a national children’s resale clothing franchise that buys and sells gently used children’s apparel, toys and other items) in McAllen, Texas.

…read the whole Entrepreneur.com story here.

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/310445

 

 

Like Mother, Like Daughter at Children’s Orchard Manhattan Beach

It’s all about family at Children’s Orchard in Manhattan Beach, CA. Click here to read more about the family-owned franchise in The Beach Report.

Children's Orchard Manhattan Beach

Text and photo from The Beach Reporter

“I grew up in retail; my dad was in retail in Philadelphia,” Mintz explained. “So I was familiar with the business, although I come from a marketing background, and my daughters also came from public relations and marketing.”

That marketing background has paid off in terms of building their business, and so does Mintz’s daughter Cindy’s FIDM fashion degree.

“She decorates the store, and she’s great at putting outfits together for customers. That’s her favorite thing to do,” Mintz said.

Children’s Orchard has a selection that pleases both shoppers and sellers.

“I think because of where we are located in Manhattan Beach, we get wonderful brands, and we are able to price them very reasonably for shoppers. It’s a good experience for both our shoppers and the people who sell to us, Mintz said. “Sellers can benefit even further with the 30 percent or more in store credit we offer them, so that they can shop here very reasonably. The whole idea is to take advantage of trading in an item that isn’t needed and buy something that is. It seems to work for everybody.”

 

The shop frequently offers unique, one of a kind items such as a recent sale: a child’s BBQ replete with a grille and skewers for little ones to use.

Click here to check out more from The Beach Reporter.

Children’s Orchard Rowley is a Family Business for Families

Check out this great article from newburyport.macaronikid.com featuring Children’s Orchard Rowley.

children's orchard rowley franchisee
Photo from newburyport.macaronikid.com.

Children’s Orchard Rowley: Family-Owned by Three Generations of Women

By Emily Cowan

Thirty years ago, an Ipswich grandmother named Maureen started a local business she hoped would help her children and grandchildren – and it’s still going strong. We caught up with her daughter Steph Johnson and granddaughter Jamie, now owners and operators of Children’s Orchard Rowley, to find out more about the family business and how things have changed since Maureen opened that first store.

Newburyport Macaroni Kid: How did your family get into the kids’ consignment business?

Steph: My mother got into the business almost 30 years ago after meeting the owners of the Newburyport store, before it was a franchise. She had just had her third grandchild (Jamie), and loved the idea of recycling for future generations. She opened her first store in Ipswich, and we were there for ten years before moving to Rowley.

MK: What’s it like working with your mother/daughter?

Steph: I loved working with my mom. We worked well together for 20 years before she retired. Now I have my daughter working for me I think we work well together. It is great having flexibility.

Jamie: I started working here as a teen after school and weekends. I took a few years off after graduating college, but I hated my job! So I came back to help my mother with the online outreach and advertising.

Working with/for my mother is great. I’m always learning new things from her, and I feel like she is learning from me as well. There is also the convenience factor of working for her. If I’m sick or need the day off, she works for me and vice versa.

Also, we each enjoy different seasons. She loves the winter and I love the summer, so if she wants to ski on my day off I work, and if I want to go to the beach on her day off she works for me. Working together has helped my brothers out too because if they need someone to babysit one of us is always available.

MK: Thirty years is a long time! Has buying and selling kids’ clothing and equipment given you any insight into parenting trends over time?

Jamie: I’ve been working part-time in the store for about 15 years, and I have noticed a lot of changes. The internet has made parents much more product-savvy. When grandparents come in they don’t go for name brands, they just know the item they want. This generation of parents knows what brands they want specifically, so we carry more of those.

Other changes are driven by changing guidelines and pediatrician recommendations. For example, we no longer sell bedding because it’s not recommended in the cribs. Instead, we sell more sleep sacks to keep the kids warm. Product recalls also play a huge role in what we are allowed to buy and sell.

MK: What do you most enjoy about working at the store?

Steph: I love the flexibility of working for myself and working with family. At the end of the day I have real peace of mind.

Jamie: I love helping new parents or grandparents. When they come in all stressed out about what to buy, I enjoy pointing out what items sell best. When they are trying to decide between strollers or baby equipment they think their child will like, I give them my honest opinion. Sometimes I sell them the cheaper of two items because I know that product will work for them – it isn’t always about the money.

When someone comes in and says “it’s my first time here, my friend just told me about you,” I feel like we are being successful. We are a small, locally owned business and we rely on high-quality inventory, excellent customer service, and word of mouth to stay afloat.

Click here to see more from newburyport.macaronikid.com.

Children’s Orchard: A Resale Franchise for the Next Generation

Kids are always growing—and so is our Children’s Orchard franchise! Watch this brief video featuring COO Chad Olson to find out more about the high demand for gently used children’s clothing, toys and equipment, and how the Children’s Orchard franchise is suited for the next generation of both consumers and franchisees.