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.

Clothes Mentor is Catching On: Must Read for Entrepreneurs

Clothes Mentor was recently featured in an article from The News & Observer about lesser-known franchises that offer big opportunities to today’s entrepreneurs. Check out excerpt from the article below and prepare to be inspired. You can also read the full article on newsobserver.com.

Clothes Mentor logo horizontal

Beyond fast food: New franchising ideas draw entrepreneurs

They’re not household names like McDonald’s or The UPS Store, but small franchises beyond the usual restaurant groups and retailers are attracting buyers who want something new or different and see greater challenges and opportunities with lesser-known businesses.

[…] Adam Scott looked at several relatively small companies before deciding on Clothes Mentor, which has nearly 140 shops in about two dozen states that sell women’s used clothing. Scott, who previously owned a franchise that shipped packages, was looking for a team atmosphere that he felt huge franchises with thousands of locations didn’t offer.

“I wanted a certain culture,” says Scott, who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee. “I could tell they really have an interest in the success of their franchisees.”

Scott asked other franchise owners about their experience with Clothes Mentor, something that’s recommended anyone do before buying a franchise. What he heard persuaded him that even though Clothes Mentor isn’t on the tip of consumers’ tongues, it was a good fit for him.

“I have to feel that I’m going to like who I’m in business with,” he says.

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.

How Upscale Resale Has Created a Booming Niche in American Retail

This article, originally published on huffingtonpost.com, mentions NTY Franchise as a growing company in the booming resale industry. Read on to learn why franchising a resale store is such an appealing option for entrepreneurs:

Huffington Post graphic for NTY mention resale article
Graphic courtesy huffingtonpost.com

By Yatin Khulbe

It goes without saying that finding the right balance between a successful retail strategy and an approach that sets yourself apart can be a big challenge.

After all, an increasing number of new businesses fail each year while attempting to break into the seemingly impenetrable arena of modern retail.

The wall of the booming big box and major brand monoliths isn’t entirely impenetrable, however. Surprisingly, a number of upcoming retail contenders and franchises have taken an unorthodox approach to the resale market in recent years.

They prefer to focus on cultivating an upscale atmosphere and level of service usually reserved for their conventional and big brand counterparts.

So how did “resale retail” go from a budget niche to a booming new brand of resellers with increasing interest and profit margins?

Here are some of the points which encouraged resellers in coming up with smart and unconventional strategies in recent years:

Flexible Points of Entry

The unique nature of upscale resellers as an up-and-coming industry often mean that aspiring entrepreneurs looking to break into store management or ownership can enjoy more substantive options to finance a small business.

The availability of franchise opportunities among national resale parent companies has skyrocketed recently.

Resale is a multi-billion dollar a year industry because it attracts the consumers from all economic levels.

Why are buyers are excited about resale deals?

The answer is simple.

Everyone wants to save money on consumer goods and utilize it for vacations, child education, retirement funds, and various family activities.

Breaking into franchise management can traditionally serve as a safer starting point for those getting their start in ownership across a variety of industries.

Companies looking to expand the influence of their existing resale branding have substantially increased the availability of options for management newcomers in recent years.

What does it mean?

A minor nest egg can be invested with a greater range of strategies for those looking to make the most out of their existing experience in retail and business.

Unfortunately, the majority of small businesses generally won’t expect to yield profit margins in the first months (or even years) of operation.

If a budding retail entrepreneur doesn’t find this initial period of low profits viable or attractive, a partnership with an existing upscale resale franchise can often provide valuable options for getting the ball rolling.

Consistent Consumer Experience

Traditional resellers have often relied on lower than standard profit margins and nonprofit dichotomies focus on providing a service to the local community.

On the other hand, upscale resale stores concentrate on consumer experience by understanding the needs and desires of their buyers.

Modernized resellers provide no restraint shopping experience to the customers. It allows for more competitive price points while still retaining the attractive benefits of a resale outlet experience. Resale businesses with a focus on this above-par shopping experience include growing resellers such as NTY (New To You).

Why modern resellers overpower traditional counterparts?

It’s win-win for both the parties.

Consumers lock down lower prices while still enjoying the experience and atmosphere that come with new goods retailer.

The benefit doesn’t extend solely to customers.

The smooth shift towards an upscale customer experience means that owners and franchisees can expect to enjoy an operative experience and keep up with the steadily rising revenue of retail frontrunners as well.

Strong Support Systems

Breaking into uncharted territory doesn’t mean that resale franchises are going alone. In fact, a vast majority of resale stores rely on the framework of support networks that allow them to fall back on training opportunities, marketing materials, and more.

The main question arises:

Why are they helping each other?

A range of prospective overhead costs is saved which require a lion’s share of time and money.

As a result, this support mechanism allows room for innovation.

Lower Overall Risk When Taking the Leap

The idea of kicking off small businesses looks very attractive, but it often leads to lower than anticipated profits. The standard new retail venture without well-timed market research means failing within the first year or even less timeframe.

On the more optimistic flip side, from the very beginning, resale retailers break into the market with the convenient advantages.

For example, reliance on inventory that stems from donated clothing, furniture, or even the computer hardware take away the pain of investing in new stocks.

Without investing deeply in product purchases on the front end, the same investment can be allocated for primary concerns such as property and operation overheads.

Click here to see more from The Huffington Post.