Check out this article from tbrnews.com about the family behind Children’s Orchard Manhattan Beach:
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.
Online sales, loyalty programs and other high-tech offerings from NTY Franchise Company’s resale brands were recently featured in the July issue of Franchising USA. Read about it now:
July 2016 cover of Franchising USA.
Resale Retail Company Wants to Use Technology to Rule Industry
Although it’s in the business of selling gently used products, one Minneapolis based franchise is hoping to bring something new to the resale retail industry in the form of technology.
NTY, which stands for ‘New To You’, is a company that owns the franchising rights to five brands in the resale retail industry:
Clothes Mentor, which buys and sells used women’s fashion;
Children’s Orchard, which buys and sells children’s items;
Device Pit Stop, for purchasing and reselling electronics;
New Uses, which specializes in buying and reselling items for the home; and
NTY Clothing Exchange, the company’s teen and young adult resale retail brand.
With its largest brand, Clothes Mentor, the company wants to introduce an online store so people can shop for used items online the same way they would shop for new items on the internet, NTY’s chief operating officer Chad Olson said during a recent interview from the company’s headquarters in Minneapolis.
A lot of new websites have popped up online over the last several years that offer the service of reselling used items to customers, Olson noted, which has changed the online resale retail landscape. With this change in the landscape comes opportunity for Clothes Mentor, which will start rolling out its online store in baby steps.
First off, customers will have the ability to ‘click and pick,’ meaning they can make a purchase at their local Clothes Mentor store and then pick it up at the physical store. From there, the online store will expand until it is an integral part of the business.
Clothes Mentor also has an app that will allow the brand to push messages out to customers, allow customers to check their loyalty program points and give them electronic receipts so they don’t have to hang onto the paper ones in case they want to return something. Eventually, Clothes Mentor’s online store will also be available through the app, but that is a ways off as the brand is just getting started with its online store.
“This is a pretty big shift in our business model, so we’re going to make sure we do it right,” Olson explained.
Clothes Mentor isn’t just using technology to give customers a better experience, though. It’s also using technology to give its franchisees a boost, too. Specifically, it’s collecting more data on customers so franchisees can give them more personalized marketing. Recent generations like Millennials appreciate this more personalized marketing, Olson observed.
Across all five of the company’s brands, it has 193 stores open with another 56 in development. Clothes Mentor, NTY’s flagship franchise, claims the majority of those locations.
“Our number one goal is to offer the customer what we refer to as ‘Ultra high value retail’,” Olson said. “The stuff that we’re selling at the store level is at a much deeper discount than anywhere else they can find it because it is gently used.”
Aside from giving people the opportunity to save money, NYT also offers people the chance to recycle their items and receive cash in return, Olson mentioned.
In the Beginning
Clothes Mentor was founded in Columbus, OH by a local couple in 2001. Aside from the Columbus store, Clothes Mentor had a licensed store in Canton, OH. Olson and his father, Ron Olson, decided to go into business together, both having retail franchising experience with another company.
When they began looking at what opportunities were out there for their own business, they found out about Clothes Mentor and noted the two stores were doing quite well. From there, the father and son negotiated the franchising rights to that brand in 2007 and have been adding to the NTY family ever since.
Energy
NTY’s franchisees come from all walks of life, from kindergarten teachers to former professional bull riders. Regardless of their background, though, NTY wants franchisees to have a strong work ethic and enthusiasm.
“We would like them to have general business acumen, but more importantly, is that they have the energy, the drive, the motivation to be entrepreneurial,” Olson said. “We’re looking for people that want to be their own boss, but who have experience in one facet or another. We want them to bring their own skill set to the company.”
Training and Support
Training involves flying new franchisees out to Minneapolis for the company’s comprehensive three week business training program. NTY trains them in finding and leasing a location, plus business plan training.
“We basically prepare them in that training to go to a bank to obtain financing,” Olson said. “So we create a three-year profit and loss and cash flow statement. So, they leave here after that first bit of training prepared to find and obtain a location and obtain financing for the business.”
Once they have a location and financing, franchisees come back to Minneapolis for two weeks of operations training, where they are taught all aspects of how to operate the business. At least one of those weeks is spent in a real store environment.
Once the new franchisee is set up, they can expect NTY to visit their location a minimum of three times throughout their first year. Once will be prior to their grand opening and will include additional training. Subsequent visits will be during the grand opening and then again 90 days after the grand opening. Each visit is to ensure new franchisees get off to the best start possible.
Franchisees will continue to get visits from the company at least once per year for business consultations, Olson added. In between visits, the company offers monthly support calls.
“The ongoing support is fairly extensive because obviously in the franchise business, if our franchisees aren’t successful, then us as a franchisor will not be successful making money,” the COO said.
Expansion
All of NTY’s brands are open to expanding anywhere in the United States. Currently, the company has a presence in 30 states and is relatively well spread out, although a tad thin on the west coast, Olson noted.
“There’s lots of franchising opportunity available, especially on the west coast,” he explained.
For entrepreneurs who embrace technology, NTY, and Clothes Mentor in particular, offer a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor of something new and exciting in the resale retail industry.
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.
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.
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.
Sort through your children’s closets to find items they’ve outgrown or rarely wear
Children’s resale stores want current fashion styles and trends
Items should be free of wear, tear, and stains. Wash clothes before reselling
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.
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:
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.
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.
