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 Manhattan Beach is All About Family

Check out this article from tbrnews.com about the family behind Children’s Orchard Manhattan Beach:

children's orchard manhattan beach family
Photo courtesy tbrnews.com. Back row from left, daughters Carrie and Cindy with their mom and Children’s Orchard franchisee Carol Mintz.

A garden of gifts at Children’s Orchard in Manhattan Beach

By Genie Davis

Children’s Orchard offers a wide variety of gifts and practical items from clothing and shoes to toys and equipment for infants through pre-teen children. Owner Carol Mintz and her two daughters buy and sell children’s apparel, shoes, toys and equipment.

“I’ve owned the business for seven years,” Mintz said. “I bought it because my daughters were having babies, and, as a grandmother, I figured I should get a head start on all that,” she laughed.

An added bonus: her daughters Cindy and Carrie were interested in the business, so the shop has become a family affair. The store was a natural fit for their interests, too.

“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.

“Currently I have a $1,500 Bloom crib that converts to a toddler bed that retails for $1,500 that I’m selling for $700 in perfect condition. I also have a three-piece Pottery Barn toddler kitchen that retails for $700 available for $180, and a children’s piano that retails for $150 and I’m offering for $60.”

Among her less unique but nonetheless stellar bargain items are strollers of all types, ski clothes, and of course, holiday clothing. Mintz says the store buys holiday items all year long, and now shoppers can take advantage of items such as holiday dresses for children from 30 to 50 percent off.

“For little ones I have holiday pajamas,” she added. “Our post popular items would be clothing, that is the number one, followed by toys. We have a really good book selection, too, from board books to chapter books.”

For bargain holiday shopping, the children’s selection at Children’s Orchard is indeed blooming with possibilities. The shop is located at 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd. in Manhattan Beach.

Click here to see more from tbrnews.com.

Children’s Orchard Huntersville Featured in Local Magazine

Find out what drives Children’s Orchard Huntersville franchisee Shasta Webber in this inspiring article from Lake Norman Women Magazine.

Children's Orchard Huntersville franchisee Shasta Webber
Photo by Chelsea Bren; Children’s Orchard Huntersville franchisee Shasta Webber.

My Passion? My Life!

By Leslie Ogle

With great family and friends and a successful career, things could not have been going better for Shasta Webber, owner of Children’s Orchard in Huntersville. But oftentimes, we have to deal with sudden intrusions that demand our immediate attention. Such was the case for Shasta in 2010, when she needed to remove a kidney. One week after the surgery, she suffered a pulmonary embolism (a sudden blockage of a major blood vessel in the lung) that could have taken her life.

“At the time, it would have appeared that I was most passionate about my career,” Shasta recalls. “Although I desired success, I realized I was doing a horrible job at letting the most important people in my life know they were just that: the most important thing in the world to me. Since that health scare, I’ve recognized that my life and the people in it are my passion. Even with the craziness of a new business, I make sure my loved ones know what they mean to me, and never feel like they’re ‘penciled in.’ I make time for my family because we never know what tomorrow brings.”

Shasta grew up in Catawba, North Carolina, and eventually found a career in human resources. After 20 years in corporate America, she decided to pursue two items on her to-do list—finish her college degree and own her own business. Bachelor of business administration, graduating Magna Cum Laude at age 40, check; opening her own business, check.

“My incredibly positive and motivating husband, Craig, keeps me going, as do the great people who work at the store,” Shasta says. “They have put their trust in my and the business; they work hard to make it successful. In return, I want to make them proud.

My mom has also been another great motivator and influence in my life; she is my biggest fan and an enormous part of my support system.”

Children’s Orchard, Shasta points out, is a “well-organized resale store that boasts an intuitive software,” which allows them to quickly price items at 60 to 70 percent below mall- and department-store prices. Shasta was delighted to discover an opportunity that was so aligned with her own strategies, philosophies and goals.

While Shasta never had children of her own, she and Craig have their furry babies (one dog and two cats) and are passionate about North Meck Animal Rescue and other animal rescue efforts. They also support several other charities, including Make-a-Wish and Little Smiles. Shasta would like to continue to volunteer and remain an integral part of the Lake Norman community.

“We just love this area,” she grins. “I grew up here and could not call anywhere else home. I’m amazed by the people I meet, especially the women I encounter every day. They’re constantly working to maintain the work-life balance we so frequently talk about. In order to deal with it, they must have amazing time management, support, patience, agility, among their abilities to face the challenges that life throws at them. And I’m pretty sure some of them have super powers!”

Click here to see more from Lake Norman Woman Magazine.

What Makes Children’s Orchard Work? Find Out in This Video

Would you like to find out what makes a successful children’s clothing franchise? In this video, a store owner explains why customers buy and sell children’s clothing, shoes, equipment, toys, games and more at her store time and time again.

What makes a successful children’s clothing franchise? 

Do you prefer a text version or want to read along with the video? If so, you can find the full text transcript below.

News Anchor: Do you have a bunch of stuff sitting around the house, particularly unused clothes that you no longer wear? Well your trash may be another person’s treasure. Reselling new or gently used items has become a multi-billion dollar industry and with a few small tips you too can get it on the craze. Kathy Wagner has been doing this for quite sometime, reselling clothing, particularly children’s clothing.

Children’s Orchard: A high end children’s resale franchise

News Anchor: First of all, Kathy, I know that some people may not know the difference between consignment stores, clothing resale franchises, and garage sales. What is the difference?

Kathy: Well, in consignment stores you take your clothing to them, they sell it and then you get your money. With a resale shop, you come in, we peruse the items, we buy what we think will sell, and you get paid right away.

News Anchor: That is fantastic. Now you have had the store for 13 years, but it has been around for about two decades. So it must really be working. We know that kids are constantly growing, so you have to get rid of old stuff and get new stuff. Why not make some of your money back on it. What do we need to know?

Low cost, high quality children’s clothing

Kathy: Well the main thing is that we want things to be clean and neat. We don’t designate for seasons, we take all seasons all of the time. We want clothes that have been washed with in a week and are neatly folded, and in good shape.

We take clothing from infant to junior sizes. We buy all brands, the less expensive the item is the better it needs to look. This is simply because people can go to the budget store and buy things on sale. 

We specialize in higher end items, especially smocks. People come in and they love to buy our smocks which can be very expensive when buying brand new. We price them at one fourth to one half their retail value. People come in looking for certain things. Like the Lily Pulitzer that you have there. We have people who come in weekly to check their favorite brands and their sizes. Same thing with our playmobils, legos, and blocks. People are coming in with a need. The best thing about our job is that we can take a need and then we can find a source.

There is no waste there which is important. So I see your tips here to turn those leftover items at home into cash.

  1. Sort through your children’s closets to find items they’ve outgrown or rarely wear
  2. Children’s resale stores want current fashion styles and trends
  3. Items should be free of wear, tear, and stains. Wash clothes before reselling
  4. Save time by having a valid ID ready, and know if you want cash or credit towards a purchase in the store

What kind of folks do you see coming in looking to sell their items? I would imagine it is people from all walks of life.

Yes, you are right. But the biggest portion of our sellers are coming from the middle of the road. They are families who appreciate a good bargain and they are looking for someone who sees the value in the things that they have put their cash and their heart into.

Children’s clothing resale franchise is a win win

Everyone wants to think that what they have is valued, and they get excited to think that someone else wants what they had. It is a perfect marriage of a need for recycling and finding the source which makes you feel justified in getting rid of items, and having someone come in and find something awesome at a price they can afford.

Well, we appreciate you being here. There is a lot of money to be made and some great items to be purchased this summer. Asses your kids clothes before the start of the new school year. For more tips and tricks, visit TWCNews.com and click on the “In depth”  tab under our News tab.

Moms Trade In and Trade Up at Children’s Orchard Cleveland, TN

Moms can make money and save money by trading in and trading up their children’s clothing, shoes, equipment and more at Children’s Orchard Cleveland, TN. Check out the excerpt from an article below to find out more. You can also read the full article at timesfreepress.com.

Bring something, take home something—the art of swapping 

By Lynda Edwards

Excerpt:

Children's Orchard Cleveland, TN, inside store
Photo by Doug Strickland, courtesy of Times Free Press

Make room for baby

But Bettieville isn’t the only local shop that trades in gently worn clothes — some focus on baby clothes and items.

Up in Cleveland, Tenn., on Paul Huff Parkway, Children’s Orchard owner Dan Black has offered customers, often women, a similar chance to save money and score a fashionable find. He buys baby clothing and accessories such as motorized rocking cradles, strollers and toys. The sellers can choose cash or a store credit. 

“We offer 25 percent more in credit than we would in cash, and moms can find cute outfits in style because we ask that the clothing be no more than five years old,” says Black, who has run the store — part of a nationwide chain with another location in Murfreesboro — for 12 years and can tell how old a baby outfit is simply by its color palette.

Black does not sell vintage clothes, so you won’t find clothes to create a grunge-rock baby in red-and-black plaid and Doc Marten boots or a Greed Decade baby in a neon onesie with 1980s shoulder pads

“I have three children of my own plus grandbabies, so I have seen infant clothes through several decades,” he says, chuckling. “In the 1990s there were parachute pants that the rapper MC Hammer wore and made popular with kids for awhile.”

He and his wife opened the store with her mother and father and, since the older couple retired, now run it themselves. As scary as the 2007 recession was, Black was pleasantly surprised that 2008 was one of Children’s Orchard’s best sales years.

“We do sell some new items like baby bottles, but customers can save so much on clothes and also strollers and cradles and bouncing chairs that are in excellent condition after another mother has used them,” Black explains.

“We have about 200 regulars who have sold us clothing more than once. As their baby grows older and too big for one size, they sell it and swap it for another larger size in the store or just buy it here.”

While Black’s tiny clients hurtle forward into the future, back in Bettieville, dancer Dorothy Demure has found a time tunnel into the past via a pair of 1970s sky-high heels. She is too young to remember the decade, so she is puzzled by the clear plastic chamber beneath the shoes’ large rounded toe. Another customer, who lived through the 1970s, explains that the shoes were known as Disco Goldfish Heels and each chamber was filled with water so tiny, live goldfish could swim in them.

Jodie Simon is older than Demure but fit and trim. She gravitates toward a sheath dress whose narrow bands of crimson and magenta give it a luxurious couture sheen; it would have looked great in Studio 54 in the late ’70s and early ’80s. But she tosses it to a friend.

“I’m just not sure my personality is bold enough for those colors — yet,” Simon says. “The good thing is, there will be another swap next month and another chance to get something great.”

Click here to see more from timesfreepress.com.

Latest Children’s Orchard in Murfreesboro is Opening Soon

Check out an article from Nashville Parent about the upcoming opening of Children’s Orchard Murfreesboro, Tennessee:

Children's Orchard Murfreesboro store, clean and neat and organized with clothing and toys and stroller, open floor plan

While it sounds like an outdoors activity for children, it’s quite the opposite. The Children’s Orchard is a children’s clothing resale shop from [Minnesota] with a Murfreesboro location underway.

After moving from Minnesota, following their children to Tennessee as they pursued their college education, Angie and Jeff Geldert decided to open a store of their own. “We love living in Murfreesboro and want to give back to our new community and helping them by providing economical but stylish clothing options for their children,” says Angie. “Our store is an upscale resale store of children’s name brand clothing (sizes 0 – 14), shoes, toys, books and accessories such as bouncy seats, high chairs and strollers. We do not sell car seats or beds for safety reasons. We sell items at roughly 30% of the retail price. We offer a serviceman discount for military, police and fireman,” she adds.

If you want to sell your items to them, start prepping your stuff! They are still in the process of remodeling their store front to fit their needs, but they will open soon — hoping for the store build-out to be completed by March 4, open to buy clothing and other items by March 7 and a hopeful opening to the public in April. The location is set for 2705 Old Fort Pkwy., Murfreesboro. They will be open seven days a week Mon – Sat 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Sun 12 – 6 p.m. Call 615-410-7610 or visit childrensorchard.com/stores/murfreesboro.

This article was written by Kiera Ashford, associate editor of Nashville Parent and mother of two. See the article on the Nashville Parent website here.

Moms Make Amazing Business Owners

Sheree Commerford. Photo by Sam Elsom for Captain and the Gypsy Kid; courtesy My Domaine
Sheree Commerford. Photo by Sam Elsom for Captain and the Gypsy Kid; courtesy My Domaine

Building a business and building a family can happen simultaneously—just ask any of the four mom-preneurs highlighted in this article by Sacha Strebe for My Domaine.

“There has never been a better time for women to be creatively fulfilled and also pursue the role of motherhood. The digital era in a way has set us free. Our value cannot be hidden anymore; it’s out there in the open for all to see.” 

– Sheree Commerford, stylist and founder of Captain and the Gypsy Kid, featured in the article mentioned above.

NTY Franchise Company has helped inspired moms like Sheree pursue their creative passions and achieve their dreams of owning a business many times over. Passionate about fashion and kids? Open a Children’s Orchard store and do what you love every day.

Check out the article for more inspiring tips and advice for running a successful business while raising a family.

CHILDREN’S ORCHARD: Successful Franchisees Share Their Secrets

Check out this insightful interview from Business-Opportunities.biz featuring two longtime Children’s Orchard franchisees:

Claudia Aguirre and Donahi Bunt, owners of a Children’s Orchard franchise in McAllen, Texas.
Claudia Aguirre and Donahi Bunt, owners of a Children’s Orchard franchise in McAllen, Texas.

 

 

Successful franchisees Claudia & Donahi share their story

We recently spoke with Claudia Aguirre and Donahi Bunt, owners of a Children’s Orchard franchise in McAllen, Texas, and learned why they chose the franchise, what challenges they faced when they first started out and, lastly, what advice they have for potential franchisees.

How long have you been a franchise owner? 

11 years.

What were you doing before becoming a franchise owner? 

We both had worked part time in our families’ businesses for years. (Claudia in the Maquila field and Donahi in the telecommunications field.) It came a time that we wanted to have the experience to create and operate our own business.

Why did you choose Children’s Orchard franchise opportunity? 

As moms, we know how expensive it is to dress the kids in style and how fast they outgrow their clothes. Children’s Orchard offers parents a way to make money by selling their children’s outgrown, gently used items. Plus, they can stick around and shop for fashionable clothing, toys and equipment for a fraction of the retail price. It’s a great concept!

What were some of the challenges you faced starting a franchise?

Finding a way to finance the business and creating an appropriate work and life balance was difficult, especially in the early years when we were just getting the business going.

Where did you research or get advice about starting a franchise?

We called some store owners and talked to a lawyer, but we already knew we wanted to be part of the Children’s Orchard team. During our first year of operation, we visited some of the top performing Children’s Orchard franchises to learn about their daily processes.

How much does starting a franchise cost? 

All of our money! Truthfully, it was an amount very close to what the corporate office told us, but we exceeded that during the first couple of years.

What does a typical day look like for you?

In the early years we were both full-time at the store. Little by little, we built a great team capable of handling much of the day-to-day operations. One of us takes care of the administration and the other takes care of advertising and marketing.

What is your secret to success?

Remember, your customers are the reason you are in business. When something goes wrong, spend your time and energy making it right. Don’t waste time searching for someone to blame. Stay focused on your goals, and track your results. Build a great team to help you reach your goals.

What would you do differently if you had to do it all over?

We would definitely invest more time into learning about our market before opening our doors.

Where do you see your business in five years?

We just moved to a bigger location for the third time, so right now, we just want to focus on getting everything under control and use this change to impact our sales and community involvement in a positive way.

What is one trend that really excites you?

Businesses becoming more eco-friendly is really exciting. It’s rewarding to be part of that trend by allowing parents to recycle their children’s clothes and toys.

What are your favorite online tools or resources and what do you love about them?

Google Drive: All our images, documents, ideas and campaigns are available on any device!

Constant Contact: We love being able to email market!

Do you (or did you ever) have a mentor?

We like to look for learning opportunities everywhere. Other store owners have helped with that learning process.

What advice do you have for others looking to own a franchise? 

Understand that you are buying a franchise in order to mitigate risk and follow a proven success model. If you’re not willing to follow a franchise system, you’ll want to look for another opportunity.

Learn everything you can about the franchise before you buy. Get to know the management team, the owners and the history of the franchise. Talk to as many franchisees as possible, and ask questions. If possible, visit a few franchise units to see the day-to-day operation and talk to customers regarding their opinion of the business.

Would you recommend others be franchisees? Why?

Yes. Buying into a franchise gives you a proven system and support from people with experience in the industry. At the same time, you are the business owner, so you must stay focused in order to succeed.

Where can people get more information on Children’s Orchard franchise opportunities?

Visit the website here.

Where can people find Children’s Orchard on social media?Facebook